The Heart Wants
by Verthril
Summary: Sequel to What are Friends For. With a new school year ahead of them, Logan and Marie settle into their life together with still so much to look forward to. Taking it day by day full of special moments with their found family, little do they know just the dark shadow to be cast with one remarkable revelation. Rogan, Jubilee/Pete.
1. Chapter 1

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

Pulling up the drive of the Xavier School for Gifted Children was a truck that looked to have seen better days, covered in mud and dust from the back roads. Tied down in the back was some old camper with bumper stickers slapped on the sides marking the travels it had seen, from Montana to Albert to the Yukon and finally Alaska. Parking out front of the doors, two road weary souls climbed out for a much needed stretch with their joints cracking between their growls and groans.

Meeting another in front of the truck, they embraced for a kiss having found their way home after the weeks way. Lingering there as they looked about, nothing had changed since the day they had pulled out to hit the road on an long overdue end to a journey started years before. It shouldn't have surprised her, but somehow Marie felt something should have to mark the change that she had felt herself since that night out on the dock. Running a thumb over her engagement ring, she looked up to her fiancé for that sense of wonder and awe he always held as he admired her every day since they had fallen in love.

"We're back..." Marie whispered, listening to the familiar ambiance that filled her with a sense of welcome and belonging.

"Just in time ta stare down the start o' the new school year." Logan chuckled, kissing her atop her head and on her cheek as he held her.

"Wow...you're right. You ready Headmaster Howlett..." Marie teased.

"As long as you're by my side, I'm ready for anything babe." Logan whispered, hugging her tightly.

"Always and forever, together towards the day I become Missus Marie Howlett." Marie purred.

"I like the sound of that." Logan growled throatily, walking with her off to the doors of the school.

"It's does have a nice ring to it." Marie confessed, reaching for the knob when instead the door flew open.

Keys in hand and a hurried look on her face, Jubilee froze seeing them there, a scream that would have given Theresa a run erupting as she tackled the pair. Marie found herself giddy, having not seen her friend since the day she had left with Pete to celebrate their honeymoon with only a week later Logan pulling up in the camper to whisk her away to Alaska.

"Holy shit, look at you two!" Jubilee giggled, taking in the pair.

Dressed in jeans and flannel, Marie sported cowgirl boots and enough midriff to stun the most sure of men to dumbstruck silence with her shirt tied up tight. Logan was much the same, sporting his Stetson and the promise of enough of his chest showing from the teasing few buttons left undone. They had both fitted right in at the Calgary Stampede having stopped in just in time for the final few days but making a promise to come back in the new year.

"I could say the same about you hun, where's your coveralls?" Marie laughed, her friend dressed as if she were running off down to the Roadhouse.

"Actually was just about to head to town, I...you wanna come with?" Jubilee asked, hugging Marie.

Feeling Logan give a kiss to her cheek and a nudge at the small of her back, Marie felt she was being urged along and accepted. Turning to her man, something in his eyes spoke of a bit of mischief that left her wondering if he didn't have some surprise planned.

"Go on Darlin', I'll get us unpacked. Just make sure you two both get back fer dinner." Logan said, leading the pair back out.

Walking with Jubilee to the garage while throwing looks back at her man unloading the camper, Marie wondered just what they were taking when she saw the bounce and skip to her friends step. Remembering another of the gifts to the newlyweds, she joined in racing to the back of the garage to unfurl the canvas that protected the Thunderbird.

"Can I?" Marie asked, reaching for the dangled keys.

"I don't know Roguey, you any good at driving stick?" Jubilee giggled, waggling her eyebrows and throwing a look back to Logan.

"I'll have you know Logan taught me how to drive 'manual' with the best of them, perv." Marie laughed, snatching the keys and jumping in.

"Manual huh, well if you go grinding any gears I'll whoop ya." Jubilee teased, flopping into the shotgun seat and buckling up.

Pulling out of the drive with hoots and hollers and blasts of the horn, the two raced off into town with Jubilee calling out all the speed traps along the way.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

The whole drive she had texts piling up, wondering just what sort of pouting or blackmail Abby had worked to get a phone. Pictures were sent of the month the girls had spent off at Illyana's parents, Layla and Bobby chaperoning and enjoying the hospitality of Alexandra and Nikolai. Sending some back of her own travels, the signs that had marked their way through the wilderness heading ever further North, she promised them both to tell them all about it once she got home.

It was funny how much more important that word had become, wandering with Logan looking for that bar they had met at only to find it burnt to the ground and grown over as the forest reclaimed it. She savoured every moment with him, thrilled in their time alone and celebrated the freedom of it all. But she knew it would come to an end someday, a day they'd come back to be with their friends finally finding their way home.

"Okay got what I need, lets go get another cuppa coffee as that last one tasted like another!" Jubilee cheered, rushing out of the pharmacy with a bag in hand.

"Another coffee, hell girl you sure you ain't wired enough?" Marie laughed, turning the key to listen to the finely tuned engine of the Thunderbird roar.

"Nope, coffee! Java! Mocha latte choco syrup!" Jubilee protested, pointing off down the main drag to where some coffee house had popped up.

"I think I'm about ta commit a war crime or something gettin' you that hyper Jubes." Marie laughed, pulling out into traffic.

"Pete calls it foreplay, thank you very much." Jubilee sniffed, breaking out into a huge smile.

"TMI, seriously. Pete's like a brother, I don't need to picture that." Marie whined, finding a parking space.

Finding their way into the line, Marie ordered herself an espresso as Jubilee harried some poor girl pretending to be a barista with her relatively tame order. Thinking of a night out on the town months ago, Marie felt sorry for the girl if Kitty ever made her way to the establishment. Finding a table out on the patio, they enjoyed the company the had both missed in the weeks between seeing another.

"How was Paris?" Marie asked, letting her coffee cool.

"I...don't remember it too much, you'd have to ask Pete. Pretty much for me it went, gallery, posing for his street paintings, dinner with Betsy and uh...a lot of TMI." Jubilee giggled, sipping her concoction.

"Rome?" Marie asked thinking of all the places she'd been told about.

"Seriously cool, I think I want to go there for our anniversary. All the monuments and everything was just, wow. Not to mention Itallian is seriously hot, fuck French. Pete picked some up from some designer friend of Betsy...that, woof. Yeah, TMI." Jubilee swooned, laying back in her chair fanning herself.

Laughing at the images painted in her mind, Marie sipped her espresso and wondered at what it must have been to sit out in the city doing just as her friend and her were doing then.

"How was Alaska?" Jubilee inquired turning the tables.

"Beautiful, wild, free. Open, gorgeous, it left me breathless..." Marie whispered recalling her time along with Logan and those wild encounters he had shared with her.

"I think I musta stuttered, I asked how was Alaska, not Logan. Swoon much?" Jubilee laughed, kicking her under the table.

"Stuff it Lee." Marie laughed, returning the kick.

"Oh crap, gotta potty! Save my coffee!" Jubilee cried, rushing off to the bathroom.

Staring at it, she remembered the last time they had to keep her coffee from being trashed and wondered how everyone else was doing. Theresa was off with her father at their ancestral home of Cassidy Keep, a bit weird thinking her friend's family owed a real castle. Layla was living in town and working at the Roadhouse as a waitress with Elizabeth May, Abby moved into the school to share a room with Illyana. Kitty and Bobby were taking one last adventure before heading into their last year of school, the two gone surfing in Hawaii so she heard.

Life had a way of just rolling on, day in and day out, but they all shared the friendship that had been forged anew and stronger with her return to the school. They'd see each other again when they could, but they all had their lives to life. Answering a few more texts, this time from Illyana who seemed to have earned herself a phone too, her coffee was long finished by the time she noticed the absence of company she expected to come skipping back to the table.

Looking to the ladies washroom she saw a line forming, growing worried as she rushed to the door. The manager appeared to be knocking at the door asking as kindly as could be if all was well, no answer coming as he reached for his keys.

"Just a sec, let me try...I'm her friend." Marie whispered, thankful when the man stepped back.

Giving an apologetic look to the women behind her, the manager had the foresight to open up the mens to them after making sure it was unoccupied. Knocking at the door, Marie waited listening and worrying.

"Jubilee?" Marie asked, lightly knocking again.

The occupied sign flipped to vacant, opening the door and locking it behind her as she stepped in. Jubilee sat on the toilet with her business finished, but as Marie looked at her she noticed the bit of plastic she held that had her breath hitch in surprise. On the counter the pharmacy bag laid with a box torn open and instructions unfurled, kneeling down before her friend to see tears staining her cheeks.

"Jubilee?" Marie asked softly, taking her friend's hands in her own.

Holding up the pregnancy test, the results spoke the truth that Jubilee couldn't bring herself to voice. Pulling her into her arms Marie hugged her dearly and kissed her on her cheek and shoulder at the revelation.

"That's why you were drinking all that coffee and water?" Marie asked thinking of the full litre that had been drank the drive down.

Jubilee just nodded, renewing her strength into the embrace and resting her chin on Marie's own shoulder. Running her fingers through Jubilee's hair, Marie rubbed her back soothingly with a free hand hushing her as she started to cry. Yet the sputtering sobs weren't pained, instead filled with joy and happiness.

"I'm gonna be a Mommy Roguey, Pete's gonna be a Daddy..." Jubilee whispered.

"You know what this also means?" Marie teased, pulling back to look at Jubilee and the bliss she bore.

"What?" Jubilee asked surrendering to her curiosity.

"I won the pool, honeymoon!" Marie laughed, pulling her into a hug.

"Better split it or you don't get to be Auntie Roguey..." Jubilee giggled, burying her face in her hair.

"How about I just start up a college fund." Marie offered.

"Boring." Jubilee groaned, turning to the door as another knock was heard.

Realizing they had overstayed their welcome, Marie helped to gather up the test kit and head on out avoiding the questioning looks most threw their way. Though there were announcements to be made, first and foremost among them was the one to the Father first. Driving back to the school, Jubilee phoned ahead only to find out that he and Logan had headed on down to the Roadhouse for a drink instead. Altering course, Marie hoped another Auntie was around for the news having missed her fellow southern belle after so many weeks away.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

It didn't surprise Logan when the phone call came asking after the whereabouts of a certain Pete Rasputin, currently two beers and a round of pool into their reunion celebrations. Though Logan knew another reason to celebrate was soon to be announced, the nose knows as he had often said having him urge his love off to go with their friend. The worst of it all now was trying to keep a straight face and not spill the beans, hearing the Thunderbird pulling up sounding as tuned as ever.

"Ladies just pulled up, feel like a round o' Doubles?" Logan offered, recalling the last time they had played pool as a foursome.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea my friend." Pete chuckled, taking his shot and sinking the eightball wining the game.

"Lucky fer me yer lil Darlin' ain't the pool shark you turned out ta be, there they are." Logan said, nodding off to the doors.

"Sweet pea! Awww, hon why you been crying?" Beth asked, taking up Jubilee in a loving hug.

Pete was stalking off to her without another word, Logan lingering at the pool table to have another sip of his beer and throw a wink to his love. Seeing the mischief and merriment in her emerald eyes had him know she was in on it too, his heart aching in the most sublime pangs of pain as it struggled with his absolute endearment and amour for her. Together they watched Pete take his wife's face in his gently hands to wonder at her tear stained cheeks for her to take his own hands in hers.

"Pete, hon. We're gonna be a family, you're gonna be a Daddy." Jubilee sputtered, the tears coming in full force again.

"You're..." Pete asked in wonder as his voice failed him.

"I'm carrying our baby, I'm pregnant Pete." Jubilee assured, drawing a breath trying to keep from bawling.

"Well Holy Shit! Round on the house, Pete knocked up our Sweet Pea boys and girls!" Beth hollered, the patrons of the bar erupting in cheers.

Finding his way through the crowd, Logan took Marie into his arms and worked her off to the booth they favoured, Pete joining with his love curled up against him. A round of beers were brought with a virgin Caesar for the expectant mother, Beth settling in with them leaving her own man to handle the bar.

"Well hell, I just don't know what to go toastin', Mister Logan and Marie come on back from their little trip and now I find out there's gonna be a little Rasputin runnin' around soon enough" Beth said holding her beer up.

"How about we toast all the tomorrows ahead of us, and hope for the best." Marie offered.

"I'll drink to that." Logan nodded, raising his beer.

"As will I." Pete said, holding his glass up.

"Hell ya!" Jubilee cheered, raising her glass as she held a hand over her belly.

Clinking bottles and glasses together, they took a sip in celebration of the future ahead of them filled with births and beginnings, at least one wedding still owed to a couple who were most deserving of another such a union.

-=+==+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Author's Note : Much as I never knew where What Friends are For would lead with that first chapter, I'll let this story find a way to tell itself that we can all enjoy it. More to come soon, enjoy and thank you for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

"Pete, did you phone Mamma and Pappa?" Jubilee asked, wandering around their loft stark naked peeking in the drawers of her dresser.

"Of course, Illyana has already gone home to bring them." Pete assured, towelling off after their shared shower.

"The reservation wasn't a problem? Betsy just said to drop her name anytime and they'd get us a table." Jubilee asked, putting on her bra before finding her panties.

"A table for eight, at eight under our name." Pete chuckled, heading off to the closet to fetch his suit and her dress.

"Great, wait...oh god where is it? It's not here Pete...it's not here!" Jubilee cried, looking at the corner of their dresser mirror where an envelope should have been.

Sighing softly, Pete walked up behind her and wrapped her up in his arms, whispering to her his love and other soothing words. He could feel her heart pattering away, kissing her at the base of her neck and on her shoulder as he walked her back to the bed. Sitting there with her on his lap, he looked off to the night stand. Following his gaze, she saw the errant envelope sitting there and snatched it up for another look inside at the paper there.

"I forgot, I'm sorry Pete. I'm so sorry, I'm just so nervous." Jubilee whimpered.

"Everything is fine, everything is perfect. Just take a deep breath and let it out slowly, one more..." Pete whispered soothingly but a breath away from her ear.

"What would I do without you?" Jubilee asked, tilting her head back that she might see him.

"May we never have to find out. Lets get dressed, it looks like Mamma and Pappa are here." Pete said softly, hearing his sister calling them from the hall.

Squirming free of him, she turned to kiss him on the cheek and give him one last hug before getting dressed. He helped her with the zipper of her dress, admiring her from afar as she dressed in matching black stockings to the dress she wore. The pendant that had been a gift for their wedding was draped about her neck finally ready. Picking up her purse and placing the envelope inside, she entwined her arm with him to head on down to the foyer.

There they found Logan and Marie chatting with Alexandra and Nikolai, all of them dressed for a trip to Midtown and dinner. Ororo was busy entertaining Illyana, looking as radiant as ever when she smiled off to the pair. Only hours before they had been down at the Roadhouse with their friends, now they were ready to make their announcement of the good news.

"My daughter, you look beautiful." Nikolai complimented as he came up to place a kiss to hercheek and pull her into a hug.

"Thank you Pappa, you're looking pretty handsome yourself." Jubilee replied, kissing him on the cheek too.

"Speaking of handsome, look at my Piotr, don't you agree Illyana?" Alexandra asked, going up to primp and preen her son's suit.

"Mamma he's my brother..." Illyana groaned.

"Yes, and I'm sure he would tell you how beautiful you are looking too daughter." Alexandra assured, having her turn fussing her daughter's hair.

Illyana had her camera bag slung over her shoulder, winking up at her big sister promising her again everything was ready after the five times she already had been asked if it had plenty of space and a fresh charge. Feeling arms wrap around her and a whisper in her ear, once again Jubilee took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It wasn't Pete this time but Ororo, thanking her quietly in her embrace.

"You seem nervous, is everything alright?" Ororo asked kindly.

"Everything is fine, everything is perfect." Jubilee said echoing Pete's words.

"Of course." Ororo whispered, giving one last hug before letting her go.

Making a bee line for Marie, Jubilee hugged her and rested her chin on her shoulder. It helped to have one person to talk to about it, but for the length of the drive they'd be in different cars and it'd be her last chance.

"You're really, really sure?" Jubilee asked quietly.

"Positive Lee, you have nothing to worry about. We'll see you there." Marie whispered, hugging her and giving her back a gentle pat.

"Oh my god, oh my god." Jubilee whimpered again.

"We're all here for you, no git." Marie promised, pushing her off.

* * *

"I thought she was gonna hyperventilate." Marie whispered barely above a breath knowing her love would hear.

Taken into his arms, she looked past to where the Rasputin's were heading out to climb into the Thunderbird for the trip to the city. Ororo would be riding with them, having to watchwhat they'd say as not to spoil the surprise. Waving to the Headmistress, she gave Logan a kiss and slipped free.

"Why do I have the feeling tonight is going to be a special night?" Ororo asked.

"It's just dinner, we haven't seen each other since the wedding really and thought we'd all get together is all." Marie lied, doing her best to appear aloof.

"Then why is Jubilation looking so nervous?" Ororo pressed teasingly, wandering off without waiting for an answer.

"Remind me never to try and hide anything from her, I just remembered she's my boss." Marie giggled, offering her hand for Logan as he stepped near.

"Welcome ta my world fer the last few years." Logan chuckled, leading the way off down to the waiting car.

Ororo was already in the back reading away on her tablet, her laptop bag beside her incase anything came up as it often could given their chaotic lives. Taking the passenger seat, Marie admired Logan behind the wheel dressed in a suit and sporting his bow tie that she favoured. Turning over the engine and giving it a rev, he had them on their way with Pete following behind in the Thunderbird.

"Curious, Jubilation hardly lets anyone drive her car." Ororo remarked with a glance behind them.

Fighting the urge to rub her eyes after all it took to get her makeup perfect, Marie plastered a smile on her face and found the book she had left in the glove box and proceeded to ignore her mentor and Headmistress. The drive suddenly felt like it would take a lifetime if Ororo wouldn't quiet teasing her, sworn to secrecy even if she just wanted to giggle and squeal at the thought of a little honorary niece or nephew to be announced. Whispering a word of thanks to Logan as he turned the radio on to some classical, she could at least try and loose herself in her book now to the music playing.

On the drive to Alaska she'd come to know he really did have an appreciation for orchestral music, along with some nice mellow Jazz. A trip to the mall in Edmonton with a rummage through some bargain bins netted them a collection of CD's for their camper. She'd spent nights under the stars listening to all the wondrous music in his arms, wishing on shooting stars and making up their own constellations. In that time together he'd never forgotten how she couldn't read with anything else playing other than utter silence or just his gravely singing as they put the miles behind them.

"So, how was your trip?" Ororo asked, switching the subject after having her fun.

"Just...everything I ever dreamed it would be. I still can't believe I made it as far as I did running away, it just seems like a miracle..." Marie said, closing her book on her thumb to catch Ororo's reflection in the window.

"I hope you took lots of pictures." Ororo said, having a glance back down to her tablet.

"I think I put Yana to shame, I wore out my thumb after a while. Logan just has a way with animals that's just amazing to see." Marie replied thinking of all the times they just walked so close as he held the beasts in his gaze.

"We'll have to make an evening of it, I am sure Jubilation would love to show you the pictures and paintings from their honeymoon. Then we can pick out all the ones for an album for it's place of honour with all the rest." Ororo replied.

Having not even thought of what the office of the late Charles Xavier had become, Marie swelled with pride thinking of making her own addition to the collection for everyone to enjoy just as much as she had that one Christmas album.

"I would like that very, very much Ororo. I have some on my phone that I can share at dinner, even if Logan isn't fond of me sharing a few." Marie smiled, looking off to the smirk her man threw her.

"Ya nap once and have some chipmunk curl up on yer head and ya just can't live it down..." Logan grumbled without any heat to it.

"It was adorable." Marie giggled.

"Lil prick crapped in my hair..." Logan snorted.

"I seem to recall you didn't mind bathing in the stream with me after..." Marie teased, looking to the reflection of Ororo to find her smiling at their antics.

"It looks as though you two will have more than enough stories to tell over dinner, making it wonderfully special even if my earlier guesses are proven to be wrong." Ororo offered, watching them from their reflections in the windshield.

Eyeing another, Logan rolled his eyes and gave a nod back to Ororo, Marie understanding his unspoken meaning. Little could slip past the lovely lady in the back. It had her thinking to ask him sometime of any tries he might have made over the years of their partnership, managing so many precocious teens that she knew first hand the trouble they could cause. Sighing happily, she turned back to her book to find out just what trouble the distressed damsel had gotten herself into, fighting with her frustrating amore with the odds stacked against them.

* * *

"Uh...I didn't expect to be pushed back into the kitchen, sorry about this..." Jubilee apologized as they were lead into the very heart of the restaurant.

Marie caught the surprise and ill-disguised indignation the maitre d showed at her friend's offhand remark, offering the poor fellow a smile herself. Whispering a wordless apology to the man, she slipped past to try and educate Jubilee before she made another faux pas.

"Jubilee, I believe we're being taken to the chefs table. It's quite an honour..." Marie whispered loud enough for the staff to hear.

"Oh...I...uh...sorry..." Jubilee apologized in stuttering bursts, her face going red as she looked about the busy kitchen.

Seated off with a view of the culinary show taking place before them, filled with the sizzle of searing meat and the appetite arousing aromas, the table was long and thin with dim lighting. Wine was brought out along with a bottle of sparkling cider, two flutes poured for Illyana and Jubilee alike who sat together and toasted. The introduction of the Head Chef came along with appetizers that he told a story of, from the inspiration and and ingredients to how it would lead into the next course.

Elbowing Logan as he looked down to his plate, she enjoyed hers between sips of wine that left her in delicious delight. Making conversation and discussing their meal, she watched Jubilee slip off and weave and duck in through the kitchen staff to have a secret word with the Chef. Logan had followed her having his curiosity piqued, smirking after a time and looking about the table just nodding his head.

"What did you hear?" Marie whispered, leaning in conspiratorially close now curious herself.

"Nothin' Darlin', nothin' at all." Logan rumbled with a wink, offering her a bite of his own appetizer.

Knowing she was being brushed off, she accepted the treat and gave him one of his own with a kiss to his cheek. Jubilee returned and settled in next to her sister, Illyana asking the very question Marie herself longed to ask, some line about food allergies fed to bullshit her way through it. Even still, the sisters had a whispered word that had Illyana looking eager and pulling out her camera. Yet as another course was brought out to be praised for the freshness of the local ingredients picked at the peak of the season, all was forgotten in their enjoyment of the meal.

After a time phones made the rounds, passed round with pictures and the stories told over their wine. Leaning against Logan she saw the one of Pete and Jubilee before the Eiffel tower, Pete leaning his love low for a passionate kiss out of the movies, taken by some friendly passerby. A swipe of the screen showed Jubilee trying on hats, another with Pete sketching a couple in charcoal as they kissed clearly oblivious to their audience.

Their own pictures were of the wilder sort, Marie traipsing along glacial lakes of that same Robin Egg blue, or sleeping with her head against the window of their camper as they drove along. Snapshot moments of distant wolves watching them, or of bears meandering along the banks of rivers they had camped along. The photo of her at the Alaska state sign was a favourite all around, yet the one that had many looking at longingly was her watching the sunset with her back to the camera as they left to return home.

"Wow, okay you need to talk to Kit about getting that one blown up. It's gorgeous and sad and happy and everything." Jubilee said looking at it.

"Really?" Marie asked, accepting her phone back to look once again to the last time she had seen Alaska.

It had been sad to leave, but it also had been like closing a book that had taken her through this wonderful journey filled with heartache and pain and the sweetest of pleasures. Curling up after to remember it all but looking forward to the beginnings of the next. Rubbing her thumb on her engagement ring, she looked around the table and felt she was in the first chapter of that next part of her life. These people had been strangers once and now she couldn't live without them, without him. Reaching for his hand, he found hers instead and stroked it gently.

"I apologize this interruption, the next course will be along shortly but I do have something for Mademoiselle Munroe." The Head Chef greeted, holding a silver serving tray.

Placing it down in front of Ororo, she looked up in surprise but the Chef simply bowed and excused himself to once again shout orders and run the kitchen drifting between dishes to taste and compliment when his helpers had it just right. Once again Jubilee looked on the edge of hyperventilating but what had her confused was that this turn of events was for Ororo and not them all. Logan sported a knowing smirk, wrapping an arm about her as they leaned in close. Lifting the lid of tray, Ororo found a few papers sitting there with a pen.

"Ro, it was you and Jean who found me when I was all alone. You were like a big sister at first, but then somewhere along the way you became like a Mom to me. You were someone I could look up to, always go to when I needed to have a cry or just someone to help me through all that stuff it takes to become a proper adult. You walked me down the isle and gave me away." Jubilee said softly, staring across to Ororo who read the paper before her.

"Now I have this wonderful family, I got my Mamma and my Pappa. I got a great little sister and my Hubby too. But I want my Mom too, the one that came and found me and kept me safe after, after everything bad I just can't bear to think of. But I just don't want to think of you like my Mom, I want to make it real. Those are adoption papers, if you feel the same way and I really, really hope you do...all you have to do is sign." Jubilee said with her voice trembling, bowing her head and closing her eyes.

Stunned to silence, Marie watched having had no idea of this surprise, bursting with joy as she witnessed as Ororo picked up the pen and scrawled along the bottom of the page. Pete cupped his wife's face in his hand and whispered for her to open her eyes. Gasping with the breath she had been holding, Jubilee reached across the table to take Ororo's hands in her own.

"This is a gift I never could have imagined. The only words I can find to describe just how you have made me feel, is that I am so very happy to call you my very own Jubilation, just like the blessed others have been able." Ororo whispered.

"It's not over yet then, Mom. Mamma, Pappa? Yana?" Jubilee said, heaving a breath as she wiped her eyes and leaned up against Pete.

"Would you like me to tell them?" Pete asked softly, Jubilee just nodding her head up in down in his loving arms.

Marie had to bite her tongue to keep from squealing in delight, wrapping an arm about Logan and resting her head in the crook of his shoulder watching with a silly smile. Resting a hand on his wife's belly, Pete looked around the table and smiled beatific to the gathered who looked on in stunned silence as the inkling of the announcement lit their eyes.

"It is with all the love I have for you all as my family and friends that we are pleased to tell you that our Jubilation is with child, that our family will soon be that much larger." Pete said with cheers and gasps erupting.

"In-laws and a grandchild in one sitting, instant family Ro. Now ya know how I felt." Jubilee sputtered with a giggle.

"I, we are all truly blessed. I am so very happy to call you all my family, all of you." Ororo whispered, dabbing at her eyes with a glance to Logan and Marie.

"Jeez Jubes, hog all the glory why don't ya?" Marie laughed.

"Says the girl that flew the school jet at what? Sixteen? Seventeen?" Jubilee shot back with a laugh.

"Can I fly it?" Illyana eagerly asked, a friendly yet definite round of 'No' going around the table that had her pouting.

Laughing together, Mamma Alexandra scared Jubilee once again talking about how big her 'little' Piotr's feet had been when he had been born. The next course came in with a round of champagne and cider along with the congratulations of the staff with some banging spoons against pots with their cheers. In time dessert came, leading into a fight to pay the cheque.

"We invited all of you, we have it!" Jubilee growled, reaching for the bill.

"Marie, tell yer friend ta simmer down since I can't go callin' out a pregnant woman." Logan laughed, snatching the bill.

"Logan never got you that steak dinner did he?" Marie asked, leaning up against her love for a look.

"Oh heck naw, I'm holdin' onto that until Kit gets her butt back here. Pappa, Logan's being mean!" Jubilee whined.

"Mister Logan, let us split the bill with you." Nikolai offered.

"Nah, my treat Nikolai. Not everyday I get ta be a Godfather." Logan chuckled, pulling out a wad of cash to start stripping bills from.

Sticking her tongue out at him like a petulant child, Jubilee snuggled up against Pete and clearly looked ready for a nap in the car on the way back home. Illyana was nodding off herself, resting her head on a pillow made out of pilfered napkins. Feeling her own eyes growing heavy, Marie tried to fight a yawn and lost out.

"Alright folks lets go home." Logan called, helping along his fiancee who leaned into him as they headed off to the cars.

Curling up in the back seat with Ororo, home never sounded so nice thinking of her own bed and the company she'd share with the most welcome of company. The drive seemed to pass by with the fluttering blinks between the welcome darkness of a nap. Waking in his arms, he already had her halfway up the stairs.

"Go back ta sleep Darlin', sweet dreams." Logan whispered.

Smiling sleepily up to him, she did as she had been told, drifting back off knowing she'd wake to a new day curled up next to him, back with so many of the people that meant everything to her.

* * *

Author's Note : A special thanks to Whylime, Fw Wandering, and Ink for the reviews, and to everyone who has enjoyed the sequel to What are Friends For. Thanks to everyone who has favourited and followed, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I promise more to come soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

Sitting with the expectant mother, Marie had one laptop set up skyping Theresa and company while Jubilee had one open up to Bobby and Kitty still off in Hawaii. On their respective sides, Logan and Pete sat with Illyana and Abby out on the floor in front of them feasting on the reward from their raid on Jubilee's hidden candy stashes. It was like Halloween for the two girls, and Marie had to question really her friend for just how much and how many places it had been hidden.

"Okay, do you all have it ready?" Jubilee asked, their faraway friends giving the thumbs up.

They had made the calls and arrangements for the meeting, handling the time zones with it already late into the evening in Ireland while off in Hawaii they weren't sure if it was today or tomorrow. Ororo and Layla were rushing in to join, right along with Alexandra and Nikolai carry trays of tea and coffee. Looking for her usual hot chocolate, a glass of milk was given to Jubilee who just blew a breath through puffed up cheeks.

"Here, nice healthy strawberries Daughter." Nikolai offered, having hidden them behind his back.

"Can I have one?" Illyana asked as Abby just snatched a couple and passed one to her fellow troublemaker.

"Jeez you got all my candy and you want my strawberries too!" Jubilee growled, the two girls just giggling and grinning back at her.

"Alright, everyone's here, hit it!" Marie cheered, eagerly awaiting the bait and switch playing for their friends announcing the additions to the Rasputin clan.

Off in the background of Theresa she could see Sean and Moira enjoying one another's company in a most decidedly amorous way, while Rahne peeked in from the side watching video. Bobby and Kitty were both tanned and wearing the classic Hawaiian shirt even if Bobby was known to wear them for years, she wondered just how many he'd be bringing back from their trip. In the background it showed a beachfront patio with people enjoying the tropical paradise with the waves rolling in.

"Oh my god, you sneak! Awww, Jubes got herself a Mommy Roro! So sweet!" Kitty giggled.

"That was just so touching Jubilee, congratulations both of you!" Theresa cheered, Rahne though seemed to be catching on with the knowing look and the nod she gave to the screen.

Bobby was no slouch either, having his fingers already in his ears for the high pitched squeal Kitty had at the rest of the revelation. Theresa was speechless, Moira and Sean peeking in at her shoulders finally. In a chorus of congratulations filled with 'oh my gods' and one 'Dammit I lost!' from Kitty, they were told of the news that their extended family had one more on the way.

"Ima be a Mommy!" Jubilee squealed, holding her hands on belly with Pete.

"Jeez, Daddy Pete ain't no slouch is he." Kitty teased.

"Huh, I wonder if they make baby sized Hawaiian shirts?" Bobby mused.

"Ye all can make sure she sticks ta her diet now, soon as I get back I'll be having words with ye missy so behave yuirself." Moira said leaning right into the camera.

"Don't worry, already had the house raided for all her candy stashes after the last time ya had her stickin' ta her diet." Logan chuckled.

"Jeez, ya end up with a mutation pumpin' calories ta paffs and ya get branded a pariah for having a sweet tooth. No one seems to call Logan on his near criminal meat fixation what with all his hyper healin'." Jubilee grumbled.

"I've had enough o' this argument with ye lass, someone kindly give her a pinch." Moira sighed.

Screaming and squealing as more than enough volunteers obliged the distant Doctor's request, Jubilee glared at the many perpetrators of the assault on her person right down to the eager girls back to trading their spoils back and forth.

"Pete! They're being mean to me!" Jubilee whined, curling up with her husband.

Kissing her, he whispered lightly the Itallian he had learned, his wife melting against him as Marie watched and had to admit Jubilee wasn't wrong. Snuggling against her own man, she pulled a page out of Jubilee's playbook and gave Abby a raspberry seeing her likely whispering with Illyana in the one way Logan would never overhear. The glances the pair kept throwing their way and the giggles was a sure sign of some monkey business if she ever saw it.

"Well, Bobby and I have another two days in paradise before we come home to enjoy a bit of time before our last year starts up. Any requests on souvenirs?" Kitty asked.

"A surfboard!" Abby cried.

"Postcards!" Illyana asked for eagerly.

"A dolphin!" Jubilee laughed, clearly just being silly.

"No way that'll fit in my luggage, sure thing Yana, and quit bein' a kook Jubes!" Kitty answered.

"What about from us?" Theresa asked.

"A leprechaun!" Abby giggled.

"Postcards!" Illyana asked, easy to please.

"Whiskey!" Jubilee grinned at everyone looking at her in shock, "For our anniversary when I won't be preggers ya dummies!"

As more requests were put in for little nicknacks and trinkets from their travels, they said their goodbyes until they saw another again even if for some it'd be just a short while school starting up again.

"Okay, lets get this slide show party rocking and rolling!" Jubilee cried.

"Who first?" Marie asked, her friend snorting at her.

"Duh, yours of course. Everyone else here has already seen ours so we'll do an encore after. Lets see your walk on the wild side." Jubilee huffed, popping a strawberry.

Snagging her laptop, Marie pulled up all the pictures from her trip starting with their goodbye at the Rasputin farmstead they had started at. If anywhere ever felt like a second home to her now it was there, Alexandra and Nikolai having love enough to go around with heartfelt hugs and warnings to be safe and careful. Racing with Illyana to the end of the drive, they played a video of her riding along on her bike to come skidding to a halt in a plume of dust waving them off. That had been when it felt real, heading north with a whole other country standing between them and their destination.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Curled up under a blanket down on the dock, Marie let the tranquilness wash over her feeling safe in his arms. Looking to the heavens, the stars just didn't shine as bright this far from the mountains they had camped in crossing up into Northern Canada. She missed the aurora lighting the night sky and the sense of being alone with him. This far from the school she could still pretend, left alone with the concerto of crickets.

"Sometimes I wish we didn't have to go back..." Marie whispered, sipping the offered glass of wine.

"Oh?" Logan asked, trailing a finger down her neck.

"Not like that, just like...I wish we could just stay down here until we had to go back." Marie explained, sighing in delight at his gentle touch.

"Your wish is command." Logan whispered.

"What do you mean...?" Marie asked, catching him in profile as she looked to him.

"Well, it'll take a bit o' work to get it fit fer anyone callin' home, but I've already got the Okay from the boss lady as to startin' the work on the Boathouse. Soon as it's done, we can move on int." Logan said, running a finger along her lips that had parted in surprise.

"Oh my gosh..." Marie sighed, looking up to the boat beside them.

"Welcome home babe, hope you and the girls are up ta airin' it out and goin' on a creepy crawly hunt like up at the lake." Logan chuckled.

Laughing at the memory of Jubilee's encounter with an unwelcome spider, her thoughts moved to another intruder of that trip with a skunk finding its way in. Imagining calling this little wild retreat as their own, picturing it through the seasons with the fall to come leading into winter, she twisted in his arms and placed a kiss to his lips that he readily returned. Laying with him there on the dock, she pictured the potential for so many things she longed for on that day she had her own home.

"Oh my gosh..." Marie whispered again hardly believing it.

Squealing as she felt a pinch to her bottom, she swatted him across his broad chest, losing herself in his eyes and his teasing grin. Her dreams were all coming true, leading to a day that hung on the horizon filling her with hope. A husband to be, a home to call her own, and one day a family all their own.

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"You've really been growing out your hair haven't you?" Marie asked, holding it up for her friend and bracing herself with a wince.

Once again the wretched noise echoed in the surprisingly spacious bath, offering Jubilee a glass of water to rinse with. Flushing the sickness down the toilet, she whispered soothing words to her sickly friend as she hugged the bowl. She'd been coming for a wholly different visit when she'd been called to help comfort and console.

"It's not fair, I shouldn't be feeling hungover when I haven't drank in months..." Jubilee whimpered.

"Shhh, it's alright." Marie cooed.

Brushing her hair, she started toying with hairstyles from short pigtails to braiding her bangs in little strands. It seemed to be enough to help her through, looking to the full length mirror and giving a yea or nae. Rummaging in the vanities drawers, she found some barrettes likely left by Illyana and started putting them in her hair along with some pigtails.

"I'm not a doll..." Jubilee grumbled, sipping her water.

"Well you still haven't answered my question, so I thought this was an acceptable torture of an expectant mother." Marie teased.

"Yeah...I was going to get it cut but Pete asked me to try growing it out, he thinks I'll look 'very lovely' in his words." Jubilee said, tilting her head to see Marie's latest bit of fun with her hair.

"Funny, I was thinking of getting mine cut short. Trade ya." Marie laughed.

Holding her long locks up between her fingers, Marie imagined all the styles she could try taking it down a little at a time until she found something she liked.

"Hey, you wanna go to town later? Go check out Layla's new digs? I just remembered ya haven't seen them yet." Jubilee asked.

"Of course, I still can't believe she moved out so soon." Marie smiled, giving Jubilee a soothing rub to her back as she looked a touch green for a moment.

"Well, Abby wanted to move in with Illyana so the carriage house was feelin' kinda empty she said." Jubilee revealed.

"Wow, didn't think of that. Early empty nest." Marie mused.

"Sounds like a good time ta go for a visit, have us a girls night in. See if we can't drag Bets and Oro...Mom along." Jubilee smiled, catching herself.

"So just where is Pete huh?" Marie asked, having expected to find him dotting over his wife.

"In town working out a deal for that truck we moved ya with. We're gonna get it fixed up by Thanksgiving for Mamma and Pappa, once it's restored Pete's gonna go to town painting it all old fashioned like." Jubilee revealed.

"Wow..." Marie gasped picturing it.

"Yep, then we'll get it down to my buddy for a good clear coat to protect it. Oh I totally know it's way early but Pete tells me that's just how Mamma is, but you and Logan are both invited down for Thanksgiving. Actually I think the whole school is but don't go thinkin' that means anything less." Jubilee chuckled after a moments thought.

"We'd love to, gives me plenty o' time ta get ready. Speaking of which, you feeling better now? I need your help." Marie smiled at the wary look her friend had.

"Yeah, whatcha need help with?" Jubilee asked.

"Airin' out my new home, c'mon." Marie laughed, helping her to her feet.

Getting dressed for the dirty work, rallying a few troops and a trip to the yard shed later had them down at the dock ready for war. Wearing goggles, masks and bandanas over their hair they were ready for any creepy crawlies this time. Jubilee herself was packing a leaf blower and a full fledged gasmask she had around for 'just such an emergency', her one concession to joining, Abby and Illyana rushing in with some friends to open all the windows.

"You look like an idjit." Marie noted.

"Pfft, I look like one bad mother..." Jubilee laughed.

"Jubes!" Marie growled poking her.

"You ruined it Roguey, I was only talkin' about Shaft." Jubilee giggled having her fun.

Laughing at her crazy friend and blaming it on her hormones, she gave the leaf blower a pull and started it as the rest rushed out. Running off to the safety of the shore, dust and dirt and probably a whole wack of bugs were blown out the windows as Jubilee aired out the boathouse in the manner of 'More Power!'. Stepping out covered in dirt, dust and wiping her mask clean, Jubilee gave the thumbs up.

"Okay, Mission Air Strike is complete. Now you said a couple of my favourite words were in store next, Shopping and Hardware." Jubilee mumbled muffled by her mask.

"You go get a shower, we'll meet ya down at the truck with Logan. C'mon troops!" Marie yelled, leading the rest off running back to the mansion.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"Seriously, where's one of those dudes from TV offering to do a Reno your house when ya need one." Jubilee grumbled.

"Where would the fun in that be?" Marie teased, pushing her along on a lumber cart.

"Well like that one show, whassisit? Bath Crashers? We still would help do the homework and stuff. Just we could probably do some cheats when they're not looking." Jubilee reasoned, flipping through the paint samples Marie had picked.

"Like?" Marie asked, waving at a family pushing a cart by with a child riding it just like Jubilee.

Laughing, some part of her wondered just what their reaction would be had they know their secret. Shrugging it off, she let herself slip into the domestic vibe she'd been enjoying ever since pulling up with Logan. She'd lost him off at the tool corral, nearly losing Jubilee too until she promised she could ride the cart.

"Well, any cutting would be jokes with Logan. Once Kit gets back she can run wires like a ghost no jokes, and any demo not needed to be done with the film crew around would be a piece of cake between Logan and Pete." Jubilee explained, eyeing a shade of blue Marie had picked out for the fresh coat on the exterior of the boathouse.

"Mommy Roro would make sure we wouldn't get rained out either." Marie laughed, thinking of all the Yard Crashers that had been washed out.

Coming to a stop at the exterior doors, it came down to picking one out for the weathered and worn one on the boathouse. She wanted something rustic and old looking, looking at a few with a modern twist on leaded glass with all the benefits of high R value. Finding one she liked, she had Jubilee help her manhandle it into the cart all the while evicting her hitchhiker.

"Logan's handling the windows, oh I know! Lets go look at fireplaces!" Marie squealed.

"Fire on a boat, recipe for disaster." Jubilee laughed.

"My lakeside cottage ain't complete with a fireplace and I ain't talking about click and start gas, it just ain't the same." Marie fussed, looking at the ones offered.

"Well you got something there, nothing says romance like snuggling by a fire." Jubilee confessed, looking at the listed prices and wincing.

"Since it's still part o' the school Ro is being generous with the budget. Still I don't wanna go crazy, how about this one." Marie said finding one that was both beautiful and reasonably priced.

"Sure, uh...I guess this is the kinda thing delivered and installed right?" Jubilee asked, everything one clearly just a display.

"Yep, oh and you know the best thing?" Marie asked, leaning close to whisper.

"Uh, that you are rocking some good gum?" Jubilee laughed.

"We'll get ta sit dockside and watch Logan and Pete chop wood." Marie giggled.

"Shirtless? Sweaty? Rippling...muscles..." Jubilee swooned.

"And then snuggling with us both by the fire after..." Marie promised.

"Wow...okay that's adds another way to how firewood warms ya. Whew." Jubilee breathed, fanning herself.

"Betcha wish ya had one in your loft now huh?" Marie teased, twirling away to grab her cart.

"Uh...actually you're not the only one moving out. Mommy Ro's kicking us to the carriage house. Since Layla's moved out to her own place she said it would be good to have another family in there, especially a growing one. Personally I just think she wants her loft back." Jubilee revealed.

"Oh my gawd! We get to build you a nursery!" Marie squealed at the sudden insight.

"One thing at a time Roguey, lets get you and Mister Howly done first. We got months till we'll need a nursery." Jubilee laughed.

"Howlett." Marie corrected.

"Howlett, Howly, whatev, I'm sure he had you howling just the same." Jubilee joked, waggling her eyebrows.

Blushing, Marie couldn't deny that truth, alone out there without anyone around for miles they had gotten pretty adventurous. Everyday her little tester Henry had given her flared red was another day she didn't have to worry, living it up to the fullest. She'd lived with enough worries and 'Ifs' in her life to know that they'd cross that bridge when they came to it, should ever glow green. Pushing past the thought, she jumped up on the back end of the cart and rode it through an isle on towards the next item on their list.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"What's that?" Illyana asked pointing to a tool.

"Reciprocating saw." Logan answered.

"That?" Abby asked.

"Hammer drill." Logan said, picking up the demo.

"That?" Illyana asked.

"Router." Logan chuckled, wondering if he just earned himself a couple more students to his shop class with their evident interest.

Finding a row of small cordless drills, the two girls struck poses as if they were having a shoot out with a few. Chuckling, Logan left them too it looking for a few tools he knew they would be lacking with a much needed Reno on the boathouse. Grabbing a cordless kit, he added it to the cart along with the portable table saw and mitre saw he had already picked out.

"Alright you two munchkins, lets go." Logan called after them, heading off to the cash to meet Marie and her own munchkin.

The lumber had already been ordered, and after a few traded texts back and forth he told her to pick out whatever kitchen appliances she wanted trusting her judgement. Spotting them off down the rows of isles, he waited for them to catch up. He had to admit the door was nice, finding no complaints with the cans of paint either seeing the dabs of dried test paint on the tops. Finding it funny to admit, he was looking forward to it all, already thinking about the next phase with some landscaping out around the shore.

He'd have to get a hammock, maybe two recalling just where a certain Missus Rasputin ended up having her proposal. Built in barbeque was a must, more of a wood or charcoal burning stove in his mind. A lot of stuff the kids could have fun with helping to earn some grades for their shop class too he figured, along with some detention for the usual troublemakers. Feeling a nudge, he realized he'd been lost to his musings finding Marie butting her cart against him.

"I'm goin', I'm goin'." Logan chuckled.

Grabbing the girls a couple of candy bars from the impulse buy rack, he tossed the sweets to them for havin' behaved themselves the whole trip on down. Heading back out to the truck, they had everything loaded up and strapped down in the bed ready to hit the road in a few minutes. Nearly out of town, he pulled into his favourite diner and heard a certain someone whimpering in the back knowing her usual was off the menu. Piling out and locking up the truck, they had a waitress lead them to his usual booth and hand out the menus.

"A girl shouldn't have to suffer one of the best greasy spoons there is, when she can't have all the good stuff." Jubilee complained, flipping through the menu.

"Well, I'm sure we can look the other way as long as you don't go overboard." Marie offered.

"No, no...I'll be a good Mommy. I'm not doing anything remotely bad for baby. Pete's even looking into some parental yoga class, supposed to be all awesome and stuff." Jubilee mumbled, pursing her lips in thought flipping through the menu.

"The way that came out I had a picture in my head I didn't need." Logan grumbled.

"What, preggers me in Yoga pants?" Jubilee growled.

"No, Pete in yoga pants." Logan said with an obvious shiver.

"Yeah...that, does kinda...not sound right..." Jubilee mused, tilting her head to the side in thought.

"I dunno, just kinda has me picturing him doin' ballet." Marie said picturing it herself.

"Nutcracker!" Logan and Jubilee chorused after moment.

"That's it, you're both on notice. Yer gettin' dragged kickin' and screamin' to one just so I can git ya some culture..." Marie growled, looking between her love and his accomplice.

"Roguey, you're mean. Can't we just go to the orchestra instead, at least I know Pete likes it too." Jubilee mumbled, blowing bubbles in her milk.

"Logan?" Marie asked.

"Whatever ya want Mare, just no promises that I'll be awake through Swan Lake." Logan chuckled, waving the waitress over to order.

"Orchestra it is then." Marie said wholly pleased with herself, eager to get home and go shopping for tickets.

Watching the whole exchange in silence, once again the two girls were clearly whispering to another by the twinkle in their eyes. As their meal came, Jubilee stared at the flame grilled double cheeseburger with bacon Logan was enjoying and had her stomach twist painfully staring at it. Looking back down to her Greek salad and souvlaki, appetizing as it was it was a pale shadow of what she wanted.

"Abby Delilah are you behaving yourself?" Layla called out suddenly.

Peeking out to the parking lot to spot her car sitting there, they waved her down and made room at their booth. Finding a seat with her big sister, Illyana made room for her friends mother to settle down and engage in some hugs and motherly concern.

"She's bein' a doll, ya got time for a bite?" Logan asked.

"Yes sir Mister Howlett, it's my three day weekend. Monday, Tuesday Wednesday off and then on shift Thursday through Sunday night down at the Roadhouse. Hell, most fun I've ever had working with Beth and the tips are plenty generous." Layla said full of exuberance.

"Told ya I had Peeps girl. So glad ya like it, hows the apartment?" Jubilee asked.

"Well, it's plenty nice. Course I get to show my bestie the grand tour tonight." Layla crooned, kicking Marie under the table.

"Can't wait, way I hear it your daughter dearest is havin' a school approved pool party herself tonight. Kurt's playing lifeguard." Marie offered.

"Yep! It's our 'Last Days of Summer' bash!" Abby cheered.

"Well you all have fun and you behave yourself just the same, I love you sweetie." Layla said softly, pulling her daughter up for another long and strong hug.

"Mom..." Abby whined like all children being embarrassed in public.

"Hush." Layla whispered, giving her daughter a peck on the cheek.

"Order up Layla, my treat." Logan said, having another bite of his meaty burger.

Enjoying the same as Jubilee not so much out of solidarity as much as she enjoyed it, Marie dipped her chicken in a liberal helping of tzatziki to savour. Sure enough Logan was eyeing her as he had all the way on their road trip eating in places just like this.

"I'm sorry you don't like the tzatziki hun." Marie apologised, having another delicious bite.

"Just don't like what it does to yer breath babe, ya could kill a vamp at fifty paces with the amount o' garlic in that stuff." Logan laughed.

Catching on, Jubilee delighted in her own meal talking shop with Logan in breezy breaths. It wasn't long before Illyana and Abby had asked the waitress for some extra for their own meal of chicken strips, leaving Logan trapped up against the window with nowhere to go.

"Yer all goin' in my naughty book come Christmas." Logan growled, doing his breath to avoid the garlicky assault.

"Santa in name only bub." Jubilee laughed, mowing on her salad.

"Well see who gets the last laugh." Logan chuckled.

Eating and enjoying another's company, the night still held the promise of a bit of girl time and fun at Layla's. Thinking of all those years they'd gotten together just like that, it felt so nice for those easy days coming back of blowing off steam after work and talking over wine. Watching movies and talking all about their dreams, yet these days it seemed they were all coming true, right down to her dear friend finding love with a certain frosty gentleman who she really knew just how sweet he could be.

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Author's Note : Next Chapter, Party at Layla's while Logan rallies the boys for some extra help down at the Boathouse with a bit of barbeque and beer to entice them.


	4. Chapter 4

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

"This wasn't what I was expectin' when I heard ya had your own apartment Lay girl." Marie said as she walked out to the garage.

"Oh hush and just wait." Layla grumbled, finding the garage door opener and pressing the button with a dash of flare.

As the door to the garage slowly rattled and rolled up, the first things anyone noticed inside were the faux Persian rugs covering what would normally be oil stained concrete. Couches and chairs were scattered around while hanging from the ceiling was a large flat panel television. Along what looked like it had been a workbench in a past life was now a kitchenette with a gas range and a nearby double stainless steel sink. A fridge stood nearby plastered in all sorts of bumper stickers, tucked under a staircase that lead up to a loft above. The piece du resistance was a wood stove that would ward off the winter chill still months away.

"Uh..." Marie said taking it all in.

"It's a buddy's former Man Cave, the wife said he had to rent it out. So...I got Lay here a sweet deal." Jubilee chirped skipping in and pressing a button.

Rising from the floor in between the sofas was a card table that a press of the very same button had stall at the perfect height of a coffee table. Flopping down after making herself at home, Jubilee kicked up her feet and looked around the place noticing all of Layla's own touches.

"I like it." Layla assured, leading Marie in to settle down on another sofa with her.

"Well, it sure is cozy." Marie agreed.

"So, just us three?" Layla asked.

"Yep, Mommy Roro was busy and Bets had a migraine or something from too many dudes harshing on her shields. I think she was undercover or something at some Men's Club, well as undercover as a former lingerie model can be." Jubilee explained.

"Aw, hope she feels better soon." Layla sighed in sympathy to the lady who had taught her daughter the finer points of shielding herself so she could live her life as a young tween.

"Why do I feel like we should be watching Nascar?" Marie laughed, finding the remote to throw on the television.

"Hey Roguey, your roots are showing." Jubilee teased, getting a coaster thrown at her.

"I've never thumped a pregnant woman in my life so don't tempt me ta start with you Lee." Marie growled.

Laughing at the show, Layla wandered off to the fridge to find some drinks. Whipping up a virgin cocktail and remembering her own pregnancy, she set down a strawberry daiquiri sans the rum and sweetened with honey for Jubilee. Passing off one to Marie, she wondered if she had the rum a bit on the strong side seeing the wince her friend sported. Taking a sip she found it to be perfect, sitting back down.

"Never had one of these, what is it?" Jubilee asked.

"Strawberry daiquiri, usually has a nice belt of rum in it." Layla explained.

"Oh Really? Huh, sugar fiend I might be I normally like my beer when drinking, gotta remember this one. It's good. A girl can't live off milk and water alone!" Jubilee laughed, tugging at a blanket to curl up under.

"Or the snuck candied ginger..." Marie teased.

"Hey, I'll have you know that was prescribed by Doc Moira herself to help with my not always in the morning sickness." Jubilee sniffed, blowing a raspberry when she finished her defence.

"Oh, I used to go through so many ginger snaps with Abby." Layla sympathised.

"Alright, lets move away from the nausea talk." Marie laughed.

"So, Bobby's supposed to be back tomorrow." Jubilee said smiling at Layla as she lit up.

"Yeah, we're already thinking of a nice romantic date before he heads back to school." Layla sighed.

"So you two are really serious huh?" Marie asked, never having imagined it until she saw them together.

"He's, he's really nice and sweet. I can kinda see what ya found in him, of course maybe he's a bit more mature from back when ya broke up with him." Layla said softly thinking of the man.

Looking to Jubilee who was just shaking her head furiously, Marie thought Mature and Bobby were two words that shouldn't be used in a sentence unless it was the antithesis. Laughing, she flopped down and threw her feet up on her friends lap, watching the news that had started playing. After a couple of news stories Jubilee voiced just what she was feeling herself.

"I'm bored!" Jubilee groaned.

"Well what do you wanna do?" Layla asked.

"Well, and I blame this entirely on being pregnant, but I have been having...a hankering...for sushi." Jubilee started strong only to finish mumbling.

Marie and Layla looked gleefully to another remembering the last time they had been out for sushi, back in the earliest days of their new life at the school. Glancing out to the Thunderbird parked in the drive and their drinks, they grinned up to Jubilee realizing they already had a designated driver. Finishing them off, they put the glasses down and rushed over to help Jubilee to her feet.

"Okay, lets get you up to the potty just to be safe. I think we're going for a drive!" Marie said cheerily.

"Fine, I'll call Pete ta let him know where we're going." Jubilee replied.

Feeling like a teen all over again, Layla fixed herself a quick cocktail and had it finished by the time it was her turn at the washroom. Sending her daughter a quick text with some x's and o's at the end, she jumped into the back of the classic convertible to head off for another girls night.

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"Well, that's the last window. I'll worry about trimming them in tomorrow." Logan said, wiping the sweat from his brow with his forearm.

Rummaging in the cooler for a beer, he twisted off the cap and flung it into the campfire for a swig. Looking up the road that lead to the mansion he saw Pete coming down with the last of the lumber. Roped in to help was the local Officer of the Peace, Fred, along with a man he was still trying to figure out, Remy LeBeau. As far as French teachers went, well, he figured the kids were in for some interesting lessons but at least the man was handy enough. Of course he heard that there were other reasons for the roguish rebel joining the school that he figured couldn't be said with the police around, no matter who they were.

"Merci." Remy said accepting a beer, having helped with replacing the windows.

"Wow, next time I need a little help with my car remind me to have you and your Missus over Piotr, wouldn't even need a hoist." Fred said in honest admiration of Pete walking down using his gift to make light work of the heavy burden he towed.

"You would have to talk to Jubilation first." Pete said with a chuckle, not about to commit to anything that could get him in trouble with his missus.

"So, just where are all the ladies?" Remy asked as he fell into his lawn chair.

"Girl's night." Logan chuckled.

He'd heard from Kitty about the man's wandering eyes, hell he'd seen it first hand back at the wedding when all it took were a few quick moves on the dance floor to spin his Marie away and scowl back at him to get him off her for a spell. At the same time he was good with the kids, having seen how he handled Abby and Illyana alike along with Bobby. Just so long as his flirtin' wasn't anything more than innocent Logan figured he could bite his tongue, though if he caught it goin' any other way then it was his choice of a few rounds down in the Danger Room or else.

"Pity, beer always tastes better when it be given by a tres belle dame." Remy mourned as he enjoyed his just the same.

As much as he hated it, the man had a point, thinking back to those weeks on the road where the only cold beer he had was either outta a stream or a cooler, they always tasted the best when he got to stare down into Marie's emerald eyes and peek south of her neckline as she handed them off. Finishing his off and reaching for another, a hint of a breeze was welcome relief as he stood into it and closed his eyes to enjoy it.

"Well boys, I think that's as far as we're getting tonight. Everything else as they say is window dressin'." Logan remarked.

Somewhere in the coming week the fireplace would get installed, between the windows and the doors most the rest of the work was painting. Fred had been a fiend with the nailgun laying down hardwood and trimming it in. It didn't surprise him to hear he'd been paid off with another one of Jubilee's townie mechanic friends, a paint job owed the day Fred got his mustang finished.

"So, Poker?" Remy asked.

"I was thinkin' a trip down ta the Roadhouse though I'm sure we could always dig up a few more for a game." Logan chuckled, having heard just the card shark the man was supposed to be from Kitty.

"I could stand to wet my whistle, what about you Mister Rasputin?" Fred asked of Pete.

"I think I'll go see what my little Snowflake is up to." Pete said with a soft smile.

"Oh? Or just scarin' off any boys eyein' her in her swimsuit?" Logan said with a knowing smirk.

Chuckling at being caught, Pete headed off to get changed and join the pool party and keep an eye on his little sister. Promising to meet at the Roadhouse after they all got freshened up and changed int something a little more comfortable, the men parted company. Standing out on the edge of the dock alone, Logan looked to the lake and figured his own way of freshening up. Stripping down to his boxers, he drove into the refreshing waters and thought of the days when he and his love could enjoy it all to themselves.

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"Oh my god I'm so embarrassed." Jubilee whimpered at the sign sitting on table.

Marie had her camera out taking a picture, sending it off to the two that were missing from this trip out and giggling at the laughter written in the messages that came back. A little sign had been placed on the table with the simple message of 'That's not Guacamole' complete with a cartoon likeness of Jubilee breathing fire. By the whispers around, a few of the regulars and a staffer seemed to remember the incident with fingers pointing to the woman trying to hide behind her menu.

"Ah heck Lee, you're famous." Marie laughed, starting to look over what she was going to order.

"I feel like an idjit as you'd say!" Jubilee hissed, glancing around and finding everyone else mostly oblivious.

Placing their orders, their drinks came with both Layla and Marie enjoying a little sake to set the mood while Jubilee just had water topped off in decorative slices of lemon and lime. Nibbling on one, the expectant mother looked around to the rest of the patrons enjoying their night and recalled the last time she had been here and the show she had inadvertently put on. Back then even thinking of going out for sushi had seemed the opposite of a night on the town, tonight she figured she at least had someone to blame for the craving.

"So Roguey, has Mister Howlett been rememberin' anything else?" Jubilee asked as she started on her lime.

"It all depends on what jogs something, like when we were headin' up ta Alaska he started talkin' about the cities he remembered back when they were nothin' more than frontier towns with dirt roads." Marie said.

"Wow, that's pretty cool." Jubilee said.

"Huh, just pictured him done up as a genuine cowboy with Miss Marie as a school Marm. Kinda hot." Layla laughed, pouring herself another shot of sake.

Blushing, Marie found her phone and dug through into one personal folder from that trip up. It had been to one of those specialty photographers and instead of a school Marm she was done up ready to hit up the saloon enticing her own rugged and rough Lawman Logan for a roll in the hay. Making its rounds, by the end everyone was blushing.

"Okay, I know what we're doing for the Halloween theme this year. Totally western." Jubilee laughed.

"Remind me to talk to Beth about booking that day off, I do not wanna miss that." Layla giggled already wondering what would suit Bobby.

Smiling to the staff that brought their orders, they dug in and chatted between bites. The two veteran diners offered pieces of the more exotic morsels but found she only got as adventurous as trying some roe this time around and confessing she knew why it made such good bait. Checking her phone after hearing her rather growly announcement telling her a text from Logan was waiting, Marie typed a quick reply.

"The boys went off to the Roadhouse, though Pete's off playing big brother scarin' the boys away from Yana and I'd guess Abby to boot." Marie announced.

"Aww, bless his heart. My lil baby gets to know what it feels like to have a big brother." Layla laughed.

"Yeah, it'll be cute until they turn sixteen and start asking to take out my car." Jubilee grumbled.

"Or Logan's bike." Maire snickered.

"Over my dead body!" Layla huffed, no way in hell her little girl was getting on one of those.

"Well with Yana already askin' ta fly the uh, school plane..." Marie whispered.

"Huh, well...guess we could always pitch in and find them something to restore with me. Havin' ta rebuild a car from something ya find rotting in a field should have 'em not gettin' too reckless with it once they can go out driving." Jubilee mused, the idea growing on her thinking of all the TLC such a car would need.

"That's...a good idea Jubilee, I'll start askin' around the bar if anyone's got something up for sale like that." Layla offered, popping another piece and chewing thoughtfully.

With the conversation turned towards cars, they all started talking about their dream cars while Jubilee tore each down to the pros and cons.

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"Your shot homme." Remy casually remarked, offering Beth a flirtatious smile as she came around with their round of drinks.

"Unless ya want this cue up yer arse gumbo don't rush a man while he's considerin' the angles." Logan growled, winking to the friendly waitress as she set his mug down on a sill behind him.

Somehow he'd been conned into a game for money and he had a hundred riding on this game, up from the fifty he won the last game. Knowing a hustle when he saw one, he was playing it cool and hoping to out do the N'awlin's boy at his own game. He was going to have to get him down to the Danger Room for a proper one on one to just see what he was made of. That or maybe just take him out back for a couple o' rounds with Fred playin' Ref. Calling his shot and sinking it, he eyed up his next one while having a sip of his beer. Staring at Remy, he'd been wondering at a nagging sense of deja vu that usually only meant one thing.

"So, you and Kitten met down at Mardi Gras huh? What kinda accent is that again, Creole?" Logan asked, taking his shot and flubbing it.

"Cajun, N'awlin's boy born and raised." Remy remarked, eyeing the table over the rim of his sunglasses revealing his red on black eyes.

Remy took his shot a second later, sinking two balls as the last hovered at the lip. Kissing his teeth, he conceded the table to Logan and found his beer. Looking at him, Logan figured he had to be pushing thirty at least and wondered at the taste of those two both trusting their hearts to older more experienced lovers. Bobby had Layla who he couldn't fault, but Kitty hooking up with Remy was right out of character for her. The sounds of the bar and those eyes had him looking hard at the man who he'd only met at the wedding before, but still there was that nagging in the back of his mind scratching at a scab.

"So you understand if yer up for doin' some extracurricular ya might be workin' some late hours and the work might always be safe." Logan remarked taking up his cue and looking for his shot.

"Helpin' the kiddies, be worth it homme. Owe a man that much." Remy said guardedly, sipping his beer and watching the shot play out.

"Oh? Man help ya out like that once?" Logan asked, looking up from the table and pressing.

Folks had their secrets, if anyone knew that it was him, most of his life kept from him wondering just what might come on out of that past to bring some trouble to the school. Ever since he got his real second chance he'd been chasing down every errant thought from the ones that hit him upside the head and yelled at him the truth to the ones that hid in the dark having to be ferreted out.

"Something like that." Remy said, looking at the few shots left in the game and giving a nod as Fred came back from the can.

"Had ta go make myself scarce, couple o' boys had a bit o' business ta settle out man to man." Fred remarked.

Thinking of another time when it had been some excuse o' a man and a lady he loved like a kid sister, Logan just nodded to the man and saw the same respect offered by Remy. Skirting the law was an occupational hazard putting on the leather, having a lawman around that knew when those moments were needed was a might handy and due their thanks.

"Looks like whoever sinks this next shot gets to go after the eight ball." Fred noted, dropping his shot in his mug and pounding back his boiler maker.

Remy seemed ready to win as he sunk his called shot and eyed up the eight ball for what could win him the game. Banking it, it slipped along the lip of the hole and spun off denying him that win. Having eyed his shot all the while, Logan called his and sunk it for his chance at winning the game.

"Interestin' eyes ya got there LeBeau, seem ta recall a man with eyes like that once." Logan lied, figuring a bluff was as good as anything when trying to ferret out just why the man struck him so familiar.

As good as his Poker face was, there was little a man could do to hide that brief sharp scent of a lie as he chalked up his cue. Remy just told him that they'd met in the past and Logan was sure as hell gonna find out just where. Even his earliest memories after his time with Stryker were a tangled mess filled with blood and the gnashing of teeth and howling of wolves. Earliest he ever remembered until he crossed paths with his own Rogue was waking up to some old barman hosing him down and offering him a chance at some honest enough money 'entertaining' folks. So had begun his career as a cage fighter.

"Interest that be, I still be waiting for you to take your shot." Remy said, giving Beth a wave of the finger for another round.

Smirking up at him, he took his shot and sunk the eight ball and claimed his winnings throwing it to Beth to cover the drinks and leaving the rest for a hell of a tip. Staring into those eyes and looking down to those gloved fingers, he had a new game he was ready to play with Mister LeBeau that he had the niggling sense was more his speed.

"How about we go see a man about how much a buy in to the back room Poker here costs, ya game Remy?" Logan asked.

Sure enough the N'awlin's boy just smiled and threw a wink to Fred in saying goodbye, the two men heading off for a bit of chatting over cards and drinks as Logan went barking up some trees for answers.

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"Okay I know you both are a little tipsy but I swore I heard someone scream." Jubilee hissed, leading them down a back alleyway.

Limbering up, if Jubilee was right Marie wanted to be ready for a fight and use a few of the not so nice things Logan had taught her on the road. It had been a bit of foreplay more than enough times, grapples and throws that left one or the other on top with their hearts hammering and hot breath washing over another. Keeping Layla at the back, soon as they got back to the school she was going to have to find out just what the woman knew in the way of self defence and fast.

"Leave me alone!" A girls scream came.

Rushing around a corner and right into them was a red headed girl who couldn't have been more than thirteen. Something about her looked strangely familiar but that thought was pushed back as three men came chasing after her with two looking like private military while one was dressed up like a secret service wannabe.

"Wow, uh...three against one, that's not fair." Jubilee said taking a step in front.

"If you three ladies got an ounce of common sense between you, you'll walk away and forget this ever happened." Secret service fanboy said.

The two private military looked to be reaching for their holsters but Jubilee was already taking a step forward with her hands reached out trying to placate them. Without knowing the world of hurt they were in they let her fall into range and did the worst thing they could for themselves and the best thing for them by taking her hands. A jolt like she had seen when her friend had been practising to save Logan's life ran through the men dropping them while the fanboy reached for his own weapon. Marie was on him in a second with a grapple and slammed him into the ground hard.

"Hell Lee, I'm gonna get all kinda hell from Pete letting you pull that stunt!" Marie growled while twisting the man's arm.

"Oof, yeah...whoa...okay, ninja death touch and sushi do not..." Jubilee started, a hurk and hurl adding insult to the injury of the two men she had just fell.

"Now unless ya want me ta get medieval on your ass yer gonna tell me what the heck ya goons want with her!" Marie ground out to the fanboy.

"You don't even know who you're messing with! Threats won't work on us, our employers will do worse if we don't come back with her!" Fanboy cried between gasped breaths.

"We have to go, she'll come for me, please don't let her take me!" The redheaded girl cried in alarm.

Sharing a look with Jubilee and Layla, Marie applied pressure just like Logan had showed her though he still didn't remember where he had learned the move, the fanboy falling unconscious from the lack of blood flow. Not ready to find out who 'She' was or why the poor girl was so scared, they raced back off to the car and made tracks. Leaving Jubilee in the back with the girl, Marie figured she was plenty sober enough to drive as the peeled out.

"I knew I could trust you, mother told me you'd save me if I could find you. I couldn't believe it when I felt you so close." The red headed girl said after they passed the city limits sign.

"Your mother?" Jubilee asked, the girl just nodding.

"She said you'd keep me safe, she hasn't talked to me for so long. I thought they were nice at first but they aren't, you'll keep me safe just like my mom promised?" The girl asked.

"Sure, uh...who's your mom kiddo, and don't worry we'll keep you safe." Jubilee promised.

"Jean, Jean Grey. You all look older than mom remembered, but she said you felt the same. I'm Rachel..." Rachel said simply.

Taking every ounce of control not to swerve off the road at the startling announcement, Marie remembered why the girl looked so familiar just then. She was the spitting image of a young Jean Grey she had seen in among the pictures in the Professors Study, a class picture taken with the likes of Scott and Ororo and a simply adorable Hank. Jubilee must have seen it too as she was staring through the rear view mirror with her mouth hanging open.

"Holy..." Jubilee started, catching herself before she swore around an apparent young teen girl.

"Don't worry, we'll keep ya safe. Lay girl, you wanna phone Logan and tell him what road we're on. Get the X-men the hell out ta here as I don't think those three were the last o' it!" Marie yelled over the wind rushing past.

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Author's Note : Spicing in a little action adventure this time around. Hope you enjoy! More to come soon!


	5. Chapter 5

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

Strange as it was for some to think, but the Med Lab was usually the first place most residents of the mansion with more troubled pasts visited. In the case of the self professed Rachel Grey, nothing from the appearance of the X-men in their stealth Jet to a trip to the sub-basements startled her, more than anything she looked relieved and welcomed all the questions only to promise all would be made clear soon.

Marie herself thought soon could take a long walk off the dock, she wanted answers and she wanted them now. As it was she was playing nurse while the X-men deliberated over it all. Jubilee was helping as best she could having regained composure over her stomach after the sub sonic flight back to the school, while Layla held the laptop with Moira watching it all and barking instructions and orders on just how to do a good and proper medical examination in her absence.

"Yuir doin' fine lass, ach I just might have to have ye help me with all the cuts and boos the kiddies bring in." Moira assured over the laptop.

"Guidance Counsellor and School Nurse in one?" Maire asked with a laugh.

"If they kiddies take to ye as a nurse as well as they have then I just might be able to focus on all the more important stuff." Moira said, reaching off screen for her steaming mug of coffee brought in by Theresa who peeked in for a wave.

Truth be told she could imagine all the trivial injuries that Moira must be seeing to, adding to her growing list of study a course in first aid and such. Catching the wink Moira threw her, she imagined the examination was over and walked off to that drawer that held the treats in it to come back with a rainbow of flavours for Rachel to choose from.

"Not to baby you, but it's tradition." Marie said holding them out.

Rachel smiled warmly and took an orange cream flavoured one and unwrapped it daintily to suck on it. Passing off a raspberry to Jubilee and a grape to Layla, she took a speckled one herself and sat down with the mysterious girl.

"Thank you." Rachel said.

"Yuir the picture of health lass, now it's bloody early where I'm at so I'll bid ye all a good morning and blame it all on ye that I'll be sleeping until noon. Good day to ye all." Moira said, waving with Theresa before the connection was cut.

"Guess that means we can vacate the Tomb of Dracula and go hit the kitchen for some sustenance right?" Jubilee asked.

"Preggers craving?" Maire laughed, offering her hand to Rachel to help her from the bed.

The gasp was a touch surprising, but watching as Rachel reached up to rest a hand on Jubilee's belly that was still too early to even show, she saw older eyes looking out of the young girl then filled with pride and warmth. Jubilee likely seeing the same wrapped her hands over the younger girl's and held it against her belly looking down at her kindly.

"If you see your mom, tell her I said Hi." Jubilee said with a wistful smile.

"I...I will, I promise." Rachel said softly, easing her hand free but taking the offered one to walk her off to the elevator.

Following behind with Layla, their evening called for a treat while the rest were away mulling over their guest.. What had started out as an impromptu ladies night out had turned into something else to say the least. But at the end of the day there was still bread to break and drink to be had, exiting the elevator and wandering off to the kitchen. Figuring tonight was the sort of night that called for it, Marie put the pot to simmer on the stove making enough hot chocolate for four deciding she needed the sugar rush.

"Oh how I've missed this..." Jubilee purred sipping hers with just enough cream in it to cool it down.

"Thank you." Rachel said accepting her cup.

"So, any idea when you can tell us just what's up?" Jubilee asked, nudging the girl with her elbow.

"Sorry, I just...know it will be soon." Rachel replied secretively though showing her reluctance with a wrinkled brow.

"Are you hungry?" Layla asked, offering a plate of cookies.

Rachel shook her head though still took a few shortbread to dip into her hot chocolate, nibbling away daintily on them. Watching it all, Marie noticed a touch of sadness haunting Rachel and thought to switch the line of questioning in a subtle way, not so much asking about the girl but about the men who had been chasing her and this woman they feared.

"Can ya tell me who yer runnin' from?" Marie asked, snapping a cooking in half to munch on one piece.

"They're not nice, they're...horrible. I, they tricked me. They just wanted to use me." Rachel started.

Wrapping an arm about her and drawing her near, Jubilee stroked her side. Sharing a glance with Layla, Marie wondered about it all, how Rachel had said they seemed nice at first.

"How did they trick you?" Marie asked softly, pushing the tray of cookies across the table seeing that she had finished hers already.

"She, she kept lying to me and making me believe her. Not with words but just by keeping me close, making me think she was telling the truth." Rachel whispered, reaching for a chocolate covered marshmallow cookie.

Telepathy without a doubt, whoever they were she started to understand the fear fanboy had, even Logan never wanted to find out if the Professor would follow through with his threats lighthearted as they had been. That anyone could do that to a child let alone the apparent child of their friend, Marie felt her anger rise in her but tempered it swearing to keep the girl safe.

"Thank you..." Rachel said softly with a smile.

"I guess you're a telepath like your mother?" Marie asked realizing she must have been leaking.

"Not a very strong one. I'm better at this..." Rachel replied, lifting a few animal crackers into the air to dance about.

"Telekinesis." Marie smiled sadly, thinking again how much the girl looked like a young Jean.

Slowly the crackers settled back to the plate where they had been, a silence falling between them as they let everything sink in. Feeling a brush against her mind like a gentle touch to the shoulder calling for her attention, Marie opened herself up and caught a glimpse of the War Room down in the basement with the present members of the X-men.

"The rest would like to talk to you Rachel if you're up for it, Lay girl could you keep an eye on the kids while we're down there?" Marie asked.

"Sure thing, can I hand out detentions if they misbehave?" Layla chuckled, offering Marie a hug.

"Well, just tell them they'll have to see me in my office if they get into trouble." Marie laughed, pushing her chair back from the table and waiting for Rachel and Jubilee to join her.

Heading off to the elevator again, she found it was already leading to the absolute depths of the school where the War Room was along with the hangar for the Blackbird. She remembered it well, among one of the first Junior X-men to be called on until she had found it wasn't a life for her. She wasn't alone in that, having a glance of the woman next to her that held hands with Rachel. Having an inkling of an idea forming, she pushed it back thinking now wasn't the time to broach it, now was all about the girl in their care who felt more like the daughter of Jean Grey.

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"How are you feeling?" Ororo asked softly.

"A lingering headache still, but I'll live. I can tell you without a doubt that the men the ladies saw were indeed wearing the uniforms of the Hellfire Groups private military firm. The timing of all this is too sudden, between Sean's former Interpol ties casting their scrutiny on their worldwide operations to this..." Betsy explained, pausing to savour a sip of her tea.

"But it's impossible, how can the child be Jean's daughter? A cousin perhaps, a younger sister maybe, but her daughter?" Kurt said voicing his concern.

"I imagine we will just have to wait until she is ready to tell us as she promises she will, for now our bigger concern is the Hellfire Group." Ororo remarked, all the public information as well as what Sean's former comrades were able to pass along playing on the hovering projection over the table.

"The supposed Gentleman's Club that was the foundation for today's Hellfire Group was little more than that on the surface, a place for the rich and powerful to indulge themselves behind anonymity. That my father was ever a member disgusts me." Betsy hissed, having used her family connections to slip in under the guises as a new 'Mistress' in place of her households former 'Master'.

"Once again I do apologize, I am well aware how trying it must have been for you to keep out such an ordeal." Ororo said soothingly.

Standing apart from the rest, Logan stood with Remy and watched the whole scene play out keeping his nose out of it. Seeing the girl had re-opened some old wounds that even for him were hard to heal, from her avian features to the scent that smelt exactly like Jean, it had him recalling all too well the last time he had ever seen her alive and what his role had been. Pulling out a cigar and lighting up, against all reason the ritual helped smooth over his jagged nerves. One day he'd have to chase that dragon and see where it lead, having to push aside his past with everything that was going on in the present.

"So just what the hell is this Hellfire Group anyway?" Logan asked, catching Remy lighting up a cigarillo beside him.

"The Hellfire Club was founded in Victorian England and spread throughout the colonies and eventually found their way to the shores of the New World, opening up clubs in Manhattan , Boston and Toronto. Since the end of the Second World War, the clubs were Incorporated into the Hellfire Group." Ororo explained.

"Friendly name." Remy chuckled, though Logan could catch a lingering scent from that man that spoke of an old grudge barely disguised.

"On the surface nothing more than places for men, and now women of the right pedigree, to talk in comfortable surroundings enjoying their vices. Underneath those vices turn away from smoking and enjoying aged spirits. Nothing as disgusting or horrific as takes place in some places around the world, admittedly but still nothing they'd want the world at large to know about." Betsy added, having delved beneath to see just such things.

The picture being painted left Logan growling deep as a rage filled him, the thought of that teenaged girl in the company of such places had him ready to ride off and rip the place to shreds. Years ago he might have just well have done that, but now he had more to consider, the school and the children, and the woman who he would one day gladly call his wife. Catching the eye of Pete, he saw the flicker of steel that washed over the man and knew he was in good company if Pete was riled up.

"Perhaps it's time we talk to Rachel and see what she cannot tell us, Betsy?" Ororo asked.

Closing her eyes, Logan saw the telltale signs of her holding a conversation across the school and asking for an audience with his lady love. Drawing hard on his cigar, he finished it up and knew he could do nothing to disguise the smell that hung in the air. Whatever punishment he received, he'd gladly take it for the peace it had brought him as he waited out the revelation, wondering just how the girl was Jean's daughter and what it all meant.

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Rachel could feel that ethereal link growing stronger with every beat of her heart and knew it wouldn't be long now until she saw the man she thought of as her grandfather. Walking down the hall to the War Room, she felt as if her mother were with her even though that was impossible now. She'd used up so much of her strength to help her escape the illusions woven over her and get to safety, to get to the two women and their friend that had taken her away from it all.

The doors opened and as she walked in she looked around to take in the people fathered and waiting, from the ones she remembered and in some cases loved to the strangers whose thoughts brushed against her own and left her remembering she had to shield herself to respect their privacy. There was Ororo, looking much more serene than she ever remembered, and young Piotr grown to a man. Her heart ached as she looked to the enigmatic Logan, looking far older in the eyes now than ever before, more at peace with himself.

Though she knew the truth from witnessing the reunion on the Jet, she felt a pang of pain as Marie walked off to take him into her arms. She had to remind herself that those weren't her feelings, but her mother's. It didn't make it any easier but watching the two kiss helped ease the twist in her stomach as she was helped to a chair by Jubilee. So intangible she thought she might have imagined it, it was plain to see as she watched Piotr rise to embrace his wife wrapping her tiny frame up in his broad one.

Feeling she had another secret to share, a light tickle against her shields had her look off to the beautiful woman who sat across from her. A ghostly image that could only be her astral self rising from her body, she knew she'd been hushed seeing Betsy raise a finger to her lips. It seemed she wasn't alone in knowing, smiling slightly and nodding.

"Hello Rachel." Ororo said kindly.

"Hello Ororo." Rachel replied with easy familiarity that startled many.

"There are some questions we would like to ask if you are up to them." Ororo posed with nothing more than a smile at the surprise.

"It's almost time if you can wait, he can answer your questions..." Rachel started, growing quiet as her hair started to lift as if caught in a breeze.

Before she could finish though she felt the might of the man who had helped birth her into the world as his act of penance. The room vanished and she felt herself cast off to the Astral Plane that had been her home as a child until she had been ready to be made whole. Ororo looked as a Goddess wreathed in clothes woven of the ever shifting skies while Betsy beside her was dressed in the garb of a Shinobi, a blade of purple energy slung over her back.

Marie stood beside Logan, a dress made of chains running to the floor while he stood with the scent of the forests drifting about him, the lifetimes he had lived leaving him dressed as a solider from those eras with every glance she stole of him. The man next to him, the mysterious Remy, was wreathed in shadows that hid his secrets with only his smoldering eyes glow casting light on his silhouetted face.

Looking to Kurt, gone was the demon and in his place stood a man gentle and kind looking very much an elf of fantasy with a sword of indigo energy strapped at his waist. The Astral Plane was a place of the mind and showed truths people oft hid from as well as their dreams, it showed the truth self to those who embraced it and looking at the gallant man she knew Kurt was one of those souls. But looking to the last pair, she saw the shock they expressed and marvelled herself at it.

Dressed as a Knight, Piotr stood with his wife who stood in a yellow sun dress holding two babes in her arms that slept. The twins seemed more ethereal than any of the gathered, as much a part of their mother still, a boy and girl wrapped up in blankets of the same pinks and blues that never seemed the same shade twice. Wreathed in the rainbow, Jubilee stood stunned at the revelation she hadn't expected. One moment a knight, Pete wrapped his family up in his arms now shown as the gentle father he was destined to become in the ticking away of months.

"It is so very good to see you all again." The voice of her grandfather carried as his form faded into view.

There were gasps to be had by many and she knew the reasons for this, having relieved that moment of her mother more times than she thought she could ever bear. Had it not been for his kind words and promises for forgiveness she thought she would have gone mad, but there he stood tall and proud again and she ran to him throwing her arms about him. Charles Francis Xavier, the man who had been a mentor to her mother and like a father to the man she had truly loved.

"Charles?" Ororo asked, the crackle of lightning in her voice.

"Professor?" Marie asked.

She could feel the mistrust from Logan and it pained her, but her grandfather Charles just hugged her and whispered to her alone that he was owed his grudge. It wasn't a time for that anyways she realized, looking to the gathered and knowing they only had so long.

"I see my dream lives on still, in all of you. It gives me strength to do what I must, and sadly I already know everything has gone not as it should. But she is with you now where she should have been when she was born, the daughter of Jean Grey." Charles said looking to them all.

"She is...?" Ororo asked with a hand raised to her mouth.

"Logan did what only he was possible of, dealing a mortal blow to our dear friend when she managed to regain herself. But as powerful as she is, it wouldn't have been long before she was able to return to the world, the woman we knew and loved weakened by degrees until only the most primal and base desires that called itself the Phoenix was left." Charles recalled as the visions of that horrible battle played across the ever distant horizon of the Astral Plane.

"Then yer, you're still alive...?" Marie asked.

"It appears death was only the beginning, my mind was freed of my crippled flesh and I struggled to realize just what had happened to me. But by then Jean had been killed and her might and mind were cast to this plane. Instantly I knew what I had to do, committing myself to battling the Phoenix that she might never return, but over time she showed me just how strong she was." Charles expressed, his form flickering and wavering.

A sense of fatigue filled all in attendance, and Rachel knew the only had so long before he would have to leave. As painful as it was, she just savoured he time with the man and was glad for the reunion with those who hadn't seen him in those years since his mortal coil had been cast off as ash.

"In my victories against her Jean was able to come out and we came to the only conclusion that would let the stalemate continue, that we would have to sever the might of the Phoenix. In my last victory with her I drove on and pulled away all the good that was Jean, pulled away a part of her power and borne from it all a daughter who would be born into the world as flesh and blood. It weakened the Phoenix and left her as a creature of all those dark desires, a creature I fight to keep caged. If let free it could surely find a host, likely Rachel herself, and wreck havoc across the world." Charles whispered, his voice growing distant.

"You should never have caged the beast to begin with." Logan spoke for the first time with the whole of the wilderness behind his words.

Smiling, Charles just nodded and accepted the truth for what it was. The past was easy to condemn when it was in yesterday, to rethink all the mistakes one made in that time between the beats of ones heart.

"She was my greatest hope and my greatest mistake, but I leave you all that Jean herself thought of as the best of herself and left her filled with her dreams. We both leave to you her child and ask you take care of her, my boulder comes back to me and I must toil with it. Goodbye, and may you all find your own dreams come true." Charles said softly, his form fading to nothing.

Thrust back into their bodies, Rachel looked around the room and saw how the revelation had struck many. Ororo looked burdened while Betsy herself just looked to have realized something about herself she had never dreamed of. Jubilee cried freely and held her hands over her belly while Pete cradled her, Kurt joining them to whisper in his native tongue what she felt to be congratulations. Logan and Marie both looked to her as they had ever since she had met them but hours ago, no different than before other than the knowledge that what she had told them was the truth.

Surprised at the hands they held out to her, she walked up to them and let herself be embraced feeling their emotions rise above the tumultuous storm that roared behind her. Marie felt warm and inviting while Logan was filled with a promise of protection and safety, it was the first time in her life she felt welcomed anywhere since waking alone and confused in central park down in New York.

"Ya look tired Kid, we'll show ya to somewhere ya can catch some shut eye." Logan said, leading both her and Marie out.

Smiling up to him and feeling that pain from before having been healed, she felt for the first time that she was truly home with the friends and family of her mother.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Sitting out on the porch of the Rasputin homestead, Ororo looked out to the night that would likely be surrendering to the dawn back home in Westchester. Her daughter slept soundly with her head resting on her lap on the porch swing, the creak of the screen door announcing another who came out and sat in the rocking chair across from her. With everything that had been revealed this night, she found herself drawn into the one that was easiest to understand and welcome.

"Twins." Ororo said in the quiet of the night.

"A little Mikhail and Hailey, our grandchildren." Alexandra smiled.

Jubilee hadn't said a word since she had been forced to greet the faces of her unborn children, holding them in her arms upon the Astral Plane. Ororo could only imagine what it must have been like even having witnessed it, having seen herself a vision of the future that awaited them. Stroking her hair, the future had suddenly become so much more uncertain with the implications of everything that had been revealed. The Hellfire Group had sought to steal the daughter of their dear friend and they had been none the wiser, only a chance encounter giving the poor girl a chance for the freedom she should have known ever since being so miraculously born.

The flicker of distant lightning and the crash of thunder spoke of her resolve to her promise, to protect all her children against those that would seek to harm or hurt them. Swearing that her grandchildren would have a world safe for them to be born into, no matter how long it took to see that dream come true.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"She's asleep." Marie said stepping out from their bedroom.

The futon had been dragged out of storage again though this time around it'd be out in the den letting the poor girl have some space to herself. Finding some clothes for her from the rest of the students, she had made the bed with fresh linens and threw about some air freshener just to be sure. It was so strange to think of, but taking the beer Logan offered to her, she fell on his lap and enjoyed her first swig wondering if she was going to get any sleep at all herself tonight.

"You okay?" Logan asked, nuzzling his nose against her neck just in that way she liked.

"No, no I'm not. What if.." Marie asked, too many questions to ask.

What if they hadn't been there just when they were, what if Jubilee hadn't been able to do what she had done against two ex-military mercenaries. What if they'd been hurt, what if the babies had been hurt. What if, what if, what if...pounding back her beer she grabbed another from the cooler and hated all the what if's in her life. What if her powers still came back, what if the children she wanted to have with Logan someday had just as awful a curse.

Feeling his arms wrap around her and pull her tight against him, she breathed deep of his particular scent and caught a hint of cigar on him telling of a break of his promise to quit. Letting that one slide, she rested her head against his cheek and stared down at the sweat on her bottle watching the drops slide and fall against another growing larger.

"It didn't, and there ain't no use in frettin' about tomorrow. One day at a time Darlin', we'll figure it all out." Logan promised, snatching her bottle for a swing before giving it back.

"I just wanna go back to 'All the time in the world'." Marie whispered.

The kiss at the back of her neck was his answer, his hands that easily trailed up her sides to massage her shoulders and work away the tension that built up in them. Hastily finishing her beer, she let the bottle fall to the floor and twisted in his embrace to take his lips in her own. While they might not be able to get as frisky as she suddenly felt, what with their company only a doorway away, she was bound to work away her frustrations and fears in the most relaxing way she knew as she lost herself to some cuddling on the sofa that any other night would have seen them tiring another out in the throes of their passion.


	6. Chapter 6

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

It was the moment she hated each morning, sitting in the bathroom on the toilet holding that little round piece of technology she called her 'Magic Eightball'. The lancet had pierced her finger and she waited for the results holding her breath until she had her answer. Negative, still inhibited, not cured. Taking her face in her hands and sighing deeply, Marie put everything back in its neat little kit and threw it down with Logan's little used beard trimmer she'd bought him as a Christmas gift one year before she'd left.

"Ya just about done in there Darlin'? Time fer my shit, shave and a shower." Logan called from beyond the door.

"C'mon in hun." Marie called.

The bathroom was meant for one, or in their case two very familiar with another. Sitting on the toilet with her legs crossed, she watched him run the tap and start to lather up for his morning shave. With that healing factor of his she really wondered why he wasn't sporting a ZZ Tops style beard by the end of the day, but she just wrote it off as how he was supposed to be, wild hair, sideburns, and clean shaven. An accident with a barbeque on their trip to Alaska had proved that much, Logan looking straight into the grill wondering why the sparker wasn't sparking when she gave up and threw a match in. One fireball later she was left watching his facial hair grow back and his skin fade from red to just a hint of tanned.

"Yer usin' the straight razor I bought ya..." Marie noticed.

"Just seems right nowadays." Logan remarked, expertly swiping at the lather to reveal the smooth skin beneath.

"Maybe I should learn how ta use one sometime." Marie mused.

"It's all in the wrist." Logan said cleaning the blade and taking another pass.

"Ya say that about everything hun, from fishin' ta shavin' ta, ta,...stuff!" Marie sputtered.

"Ain't my fault if it's the truth." Logan chuckled as he started to shave that precarious place along his lips.

"Sometimes I wonder if'in yer as good as ya say ya are or if it's all just yer damned healing." Marie growled crossing her arms.

Looking like a gauntlet had been thrown, Logan hastily finished his shave and turned on her. Something about the look in his eyes spoke of both wounded pride and a hint of his naughty side, tilting her head just so throwing the ball back on to his side of the court.

"Why don't I just go showin' ya." Logan said as he grabbed her can of shaving creme for shaving her lady bits.

The thought of his hands caressing her calves and thighs only to take a razor to them left her with mixed feelings, but this was Logan whom she had trusted with her life again and again never to be let down in her faith. Slipping from the toilet to stand up, she eased her pyjama bottoms down until she was standing in just a pair of panties and a T he'd bought her at some truck stop.

"Challenge Accepted." Marie said with a raised chin.

Guided down until she sat with a leg left to his tender care, he lathered attention to it after finding a basin under the sink to fill with piping hot water. The heat felt luxurious, his hands working up a lather from her shaving creme divine. Holding the straight razor expertly, he waited for her nod to have his first swipe that left silky smooth skin in its wake. Her own emerald eyes meeting his steely grey looking up with his hands cradling her calf, where had he been her whole life as she'd gone through this ritual.

"Not a nick." Marie whispered as her heart pattered away, her eyes rolling back as he ran a finger along her flesh to check his workmanship.

The razor passed again and again, his hands cradling and caressing her. Finally came a time when he wiped away with a damp towel of steaming hot water, trailing all the way down to her toes that he played with a smirk. Thinking that the end of it, he surprised her and reached for a bottle of lotion she kept for after her shaves, his hands roaming her flesh again in slick and silky passes that rose up her lips with his thumbs tugging at the hem of her panties.

"Logan..." Marie whispered breathless.

"Shh..." Logan hushed.

"Oh Logan..." Marie tried again to warn him.

"Trust me Darlin'..." Logan swore.

Gripping the sides of the toilet seat and wishing she could do that and trust him to show her just how gentle and tender he could be, some part of her mind screamed for attention only to realize it was the still thinking part that had been stamped down by the animalistic lust she longed to embrace.

"Logan!" Marie yelled.

"Rachel left ta have breakfast with the kiddies around the time I was askin' if ya were done in here..." Logan said with a playful grin.

"I aughta..." Marie started, the rest faltering as her breath was stolen as his hands trailed her thighs.

"Shhh..." Logan whispered.

From the lustful look in his eyes as he knelt at her like a knight looking for his lady's favour, she gave it to him wrapping her legs around his head and caring not what happened to her panties hearing a rip. Bracing herself, she was no stranger to the attention he was about to lavish on her but never having enjoyed it so early in the morn.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"Shouldn't we be...?" Jubilee asked from in between her two mothers.

"Hush Daughter." Alexandra sniffed, working the stick shift expertly in the old pick up.

"Everything is well in hand Jubilation." Ororo promised.

"But, but...?" Jubilee started, a finger pressed against her lips silencing her.

"The X-men are handling everything." Ororo assured.

Jubilee stared at Ororo and thought of what that word meant to her, the X-men. They were her family, guardians, and friends. She hadn't ever tried to be one, ever staying at or near the school never more than the nearest town away. Pete was one, Marie had been one, as had Kitty and Bobby. Now there was a new face to the X-men with Kurt as the Field Leader and Betsy as his second. Sean, the enigmatic Remy LeBeau, and of course Logan were all in the ranks. Even Theresa would fight if called upon, but her...she had hidden away always afraid of what she was capable of.

"Shouldn't we...?" Jubilee tried again.

"Jubilation?" Alexandra and Ororo said at the same time.

"Why does everyone say my name like it means shut up?" Jubilee growled in her best impersonation of Logan.

"We simply mean for you to understand that you have to think about whom you are with, Mikhail and Hailey. Now, let us go to the Farmer's Market and find something for dinner shall we?" Ororo said softly.

Feeling a wave of shame roll over her and leave her stomach in knots, Jubilee stared down to her feet and wrung her hands. A hand on her thigh and an arm wrapped around her shoulders helped her, looking between the two ladies who loved her so very much. Blinking futilely at the tears that came, she sniffed and drew a breath. Whispering a prayer, she thought just how much her mom would have liked the ladies she was so thankful to call mother.

"Can we get some more of those awesome pickles?" Jubilee asked finding her voice.

"I know just the person Daughter, we'll get some more and have you try his pickled beets." Alexandra said, taking a corner sharp stirring dust down the dirt road they rambled down.

"What's a beat?" Jubilee asked confused.

"You will find out Daugher, and trust Mamma, you will love them." Alexandra promised.

Pulling Jubilee close as they drove on down the road, Ororo did the time honoured tradition of riding the wind with her hand out the window. She had heard from Alexandra the longing for rain from the farmers of the area, their crops in need of a sprinkling to help them along. Out on those distant mountains she could feel the storm brewing there and entreated it to temper itself come the eve, rain light and long instead of short and hard as it was sure to have done.

"Smells like rain." Jubilee said softly from her place beside her.

"Oh?" Ororo questioned with a ill hidden smile.

"Just something in the breeze, I'm right ain't I?" Jubilee asked looking up.

"Yes, I am sure we will have some rain tonight." Ororo said smiling back down.

"Good, it's nice snuggling up with Pete watchin' a storm pass through out on the porch." Jubilee said smiling fondly.

Thinking maybe she'd see if she couldn't tease some thunder and lightning out of those clouds, Ororo hated meddling with the natural course but there were times a simple request from the elements went a long way to unleashing their potential.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"I thought you were at your parents?" Abby asked pointedly of Illyana.

"Pappa let me come for lunch, I knew they were serving fish sticks." Illyana beamed back, artfully drawing a design with her tartar sauce.

"Oh I know, they're so good!" Abby cried gleefully.

"Can I sit with you?" A newcomer inquired.

Looking up from their usual spot in the corner of the lunchroom, Abby and Illyana greeted the red haired girl with smiles and an invitation to sit down. On her tray was a pile of fish sticks along with apple slices and oddly enough some custard.

"I'm Abby, that's Illyana who's stuffing her face." Abby greeted.

"Rachel." Rachel replied, laying out her meal in a certain order.

"I wonder what fish sticks and custard really tastes like." Abby asked with a squinted eye to the items.

"Who would eat fish sticks and custard?" Illyana threw out with a little 'see food' as she forgot her manners.

"The Doctor?" Rachel asked.

"Doctor who?" Illyana questioned only to stuff her face with another fish stick.

"Exactly." Rachel and Abby said in near unison, sharing a look and giggling.

"So..." Illyana asked after a mouthful of water to help her meal down.

"So..." Abby joined in, more than enough fish sticks still around to be had.

"So..." Rachel posed, spinning her bowl of custard around with a finger and a subtle touch of telekinesis.

Each taking a fish stick in hand, they dipped them in Rachel's custard and had one last look to each other making sure they were all going to go through with it. Custard drenched fish sticks poised, as one they all bit down and had a few experimental chews. Tilting their heads too and fro as they considered it, after they had all swallowed they looked to one another.

"I think we're gonna need more custard." All three girls said at the same time only to burst out in a fit of giggles.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Author's Note : Just a shortie to help things along, gonna try and get the ball rolling again on this ficcie :) Enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

* * *

"You let her escape?"

Emma rubbed the sides of her head with two fingers to each, even as she reined in the urge to lash out to the one who slandered her the pain pierced her being as she winced with gritted teeth. There would be time for that later, right now she waited for the little cocktail of just the right kind of painkillers to numb the ache of her ravaged mind.

"Look about you and ask yourself if this looks as though I let her escape." Emma hissed, accepting the glass of ice water an aide brought.

Furniture was smashed, a grande piano sat lodged within the wall easily five feet from the floor, and the entire exterior wall had been...she didn't want to think about that having heard reports of just what the original Phoenix was capable of. Let her escape indeed, that there hadn't been any deaths was either a miracle or a benign act of mercy. Sipping her water and looking down the five stories that hung between her and the street below, already scaffolding was being set up to disguise the event from the milling public.

"It was your job to keep her...entertained." The white haired man noted.

Watching him walk up to the piano to play a few abused notes, Emma wondered if it would just fall on him and save her the bother. That he would dare speak to her in such a tone showed a complete disregard for her place as both the White Queen of the Manhattan Branch as well as being on the board of the Hellfire Group.

"Had you not been doting on your sister you might have had the chance to dare apprehend her." Emma said with her back still turned to him.

A rush of wind had him at her side, spinning her about to face him while grabbing her by the fabric of her bustier to lean her out over the edge of the missing wall. Laughing aloud, Emma let the figment fade leaving him standing there fuming in rage with his clenched fist holding nothing at all. Sitting off on an overturned bookcase with her leg crossed, the expression on his face as he looked to her was worth the pain that had her mascara running with a few stubbornly spilt tears.

"Pietro, you may be fast, but I am as fast as thought itself." Emma warned.

"This doesn't change the fact that this is your fault Emma, you couldn't keep a child trapped in this little fantasy you wove for the both of you." Pietro snapped harshly.

Smiling against showing just how deeply that barb had dug, Emma rose and headed off to the door with one last glance to the room and the destruction wrought by her onetime ward. Something had helped to shirk off all her carefully crafted work, helped to remind the girl of just who she really was. For a second eyes far older looked back at her, there one moment and gone the next.

"You've found the men whom we sent after her?" Emma asked instead.

"Yes, two are still under our medical care while the other is waiting downstairs." Pietro replied with a dismissive shrug.

"Wonderful, I think I shall go have a talk with the man." Emma cooed, slamming the door behind her.

Pietro stood there at the edge looking out into the night, the creak and groan heralding the grande piano slipping from it's precarious perch to fall in a shattered wreck of splintered wood and snapped strings. He had debriefed the man earlier but Emma did what Emma wanted as it was so often heard around the Club. Three women had come to the girls rescue, one that could wield electricity from her hands effectively tasing the two guards at his command. That it was all a coincidence was absurd, a bit of luck maybe but someone must have been waiting for this chance, someone or something.

"Sebastian will be here soon enough to sort this mess out." Pietro said to himself, rubbing his eyes and thinking it was again time to check on his sister before vanishing in a blur of inhuman speed.

A rooftop away with a view of the missing wall a shadow moved soon joined by another as two figures embraced hands. Were any left to hear it they would have described it as a popping noise, a bamf for lack of a better word. Inky smoke drifted on the evening breeze as the only proof they had been there.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"I'm home and I brought friends!" Illyana yelled throwing open the door to the Rasputin household.

Alexandra was helping Jubilee learn the finer points of pie crust as Ororo washed the blueberries that would become their dessert. The trampling of feet echoed through the house as three girls rushed in, Illyana, Abby and Rachel. After a few texts back and forth Ororo had decided it was well and fine for Rachel to come right along with Abby so long as Layla had given her permission. The girls looked to the flower dotted face of one flustered looking Jubilee, Illyana pulling out her phone in lieu of her camera and snapped a photo.

"Who're ya sending that to squirt?" Jubilee asked, using a fork she'd set aside to scratch her itchy nose.

"Everyone." Illyana grinned impishly, hitting send.

"Can I help?" Rachel asked taking a few steps into the kitchen and looking around.

"There are cookies that still need to be baked." Alexandra said with a nod to a bowl of dough under a tea cloth.

With both Abby and Illyana taking Rachel along, the three of them washed their hands at the sink after Ororo made room for them. Putting the colander of fresh blueberries out on the counter, all the rest of the ingredients for the filling sat ready as soon as the crust was up to snuff for Mamma Rasputin. A rush of girls racing past saw the dough fallen upon, wondering just how much of it would find its way to cookies or be munched away on as they rolled it out and cut it up. Putting the kettle on, she watched the antics of the three girls and was glad to see Rachel so warmly welcomed.

"Excuse me." Ororo said in parting, one last lingering glance at the classic country kitchen filled with such simple and wholesome activities as baking with family.

The creak of the wooden screen door was a rustic charm even as it clattered against the frame, the serpentine pattern of faded paint a treat to run her fingers over as she walked out through the tall, shaggy grass in good need of a cut. The sun was chased onwards to the horizon by the clouds blowing in with their promise of rain. The day was darkening but there was still enough light to enjoy the scenery. Wandering about the farm of the family that had invited her to join them, Ororo looked forward to the future that would in years to come bring the sound of grandchildren rushing about keeping their parents busy.

Smiling at the thought, she wondered just who little Mikhail and Hailey would take after of their parents as she remembered the sleeping children Jubilee had held in that not quite a places that was the Astral Plane. Looking above and thinking of that revelation, she thought of another then.

"You need not worry Charles, all is well in hand. Your dream and the children, they are back there baking pies and cookies. Back at the school likely doing their best to give Logan some grey hair yet. We all shall keep this family we have found safe, and just maybe some night when you have time again you can stop by so I can tell you about it." Ororo whispered to the wind that blew at her back.

She hadn't expected an answer but it came just the same, even if it wasn't from Charles himself. The X-men, her X-men had arrived home safe as she heard the ring tone for Kurt playing the high sea theme from the latest in a long line of pirate movies. Taking the call, she had just enough time to enjoy the silly thought of what the bill would likely be with her being so very far away from home. Even though it truly felt her home away from home with the welcome she received every visit.

"Ororo." Kurt greeted.

"What have you learned?" Ororo asked.

"Just everything we feared, and the extent to which young Rachel really may take after her mother. An entire wall was destroyed to make her escape Ororo, five stories above the street below." Kurt informed with a hint of apprehension.

While Ororo knew Jean had always been a powerful telepath, the awakening of the self professed Phoenix had unleashed her. That Charles had admitted to his mistake with Jean, as good intentioned as it was, could it mean that Rachel had this power at her beck and call and if so to what extent did she know to wield it. It was a thought for later she realized thinking of the child back in the house baking cookies like any other girl.

"I have more bad news Ororo." Kurt announced.

"Do tell, please." Ororo beckoned and was thankful he couldn't see her look of apprehension then.

"It appears Pietro and Wanda Maximoff are in...collusion with the Hellfire Group. I had no idea who they were until I spoke with Henry." Kurt informed.

This time she couldn't hide her hitched breath and worry from the call, names she hadn't ever expected to hear again. She had known them years before for a brief time, a time when it was still not uncommon to see Erik around before both he and Charles had parted ways. Brother and sister, the twin children of Erik, she remembered Pietro as an overprotective brother while Wanda was a fickle girl around who accidents always seemed to happen.

"Thank you for letting me know Kurt, I'll be returning after dinner. If there is any pie left I will try to bring you a piece, Alexandra is having Jubilee bake it herself." Ororo said softly channelling the peace of the place to help sooth her fretful worries.

"Danke sher Ororo, I have one question before I let you go..." Kurt posed after a moment of thanks.

"I can well imagine and for the moment I would like to see if we cannot settle this matter ourselves. At the same time I think maybe it is time to call Warren, Betsy is not alone in having a father hold a membership with this Hellfire Club it would seem." Ororo replied calmly though well prepared to make that phone call to the likes of Director Fury if worse came to worse.

"Enjoy dinner Ororo, I believe Logan is planning a cook out for the kids tonight." Kurt said with a hint of his jovial self returning.

"Please refrain from burning down the school while I am gone, as I recall Logan can be rather excessive when it comes to that one charcoal grill and starting it." Ororo sighed, a few students not as lucky to quickly regrow their eyebrows as their assistant Headmaster.

"I will keep the fire extinguisher handy, goodbye Ororo." Kurt said with a chuckle.

"Goodbye Kurt." Ororo managed with a chuckle, hanging up and looking again to the scenery.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"Logan, put the lighter fluid down and no one has ta git hurt!" Marie yelled.

Camping their way across Canada and into Alaska had shown her just how well he and St. John would have gotten along had their paths been decided that awful day at Alkali Lake. Throwing her a cocky smirk along with a raised eyebrow that might just have to be grown again anew, he dangled the bottle between two fingers and snatched it back at the last second.

"I. Said. Gimmie!" Marie hissed each word with a finger thrust at him to punctuate her intent.

"Gotta start the barbie babe." Logan growled throatily as he looked down at her enjoying the view past the hem of her T.

The murmur from the students gathered around had them placing bets on the outcome, even a bit of cash passing hands to Remy who was playing bookie. If she wasn't so busy trying to do Smoky a favour she'd throw a tenner down on herself for 'Kicking some Canadian Back Bacon into submission'.

"Logan." Marie said working her own version of 'The Look'.

"Roguey." Logan grinned using another girls favourite nickname for her.

"Gimmie." Rogue said as she pressed herself against him taking the bottle of lighter fluid in hand.

She could see his nostrils flare taking in her scent, enjoying the musky aroma of the aftershave he wore that mingled with just his own being of manliness that could still make her go weak in the knees with just the right playful smile and a bit of saucy talk. Even still he wouldn't let go of the bottle but she was about to solve that with just a little help from her friends as she caught the hem of his jeans with her thumb just like she was ready to pants him and have her way. Instead her calvary came with a few expertly thrown ice cubes at the 'non regulation hoop' to slide right down the crack of his so very toned ass.

"Sonova...!" Logan yelled as the first frigid ice cube hit his bare flesh.

Snatching the lighter fluid and throwing it to Kurt, there was a Bamf and the ball was in play for an improvised game of keep away. Logan was too busy scowling at Tabitha and her friends to notice, amazing what the promise of a slip of flesh would get a girl to do Marie giggled while giving a thumbs up.

"Alright, all bets are off. Remy, give the kids back their money. Lets get this cook out goin'!" Marie yelled.

The whole thing had been dreamed up to keep from the kids just everything that had happened, the students more perceptive that most gave them credit for with rumours already finding their way to her office. Since she wasn't really a teacher she was the one they came to for answers to their worries and fears along with whatever wild speculation. The X-men couldn't exactly be a secret when the jet was hidden under the basketball court after all.

"Jubilee's Pregnant and Ororo just adopted her." Marie had said to Tabitha, resident gossip queen after she had finally come looking for answers herself.

It was the perfect reason why Ororo was away, the truth in fact, but enough to distract them from the latest student to join the school and her likeness to a teacher some still remembered. The cook out was her piece du resistance, nothing better to distract teens than a barbeque along with a scheduled water balloon fight later. Between some friendly competition and their raging hormones from all that wet, clingy clothes, they'd be forgetting all about the X-men before long.

"That was outright dirty." Logan said as he turned his ire on her.

"I thought ya liked a...dirty...girl..." Marie breathed the last words.

"Why I hear it, our bunk mate from last night is roomin' with a couple o' my favourite little Darlin's tonight...what say we go down to our new home and you can show me just how dirty you can be." Logan growled as he stepped in to wrap her up in his embrace.

The thought of the boathouse as theirs and theirs alone, their own little slice of the lake with that window in their bedroom looking out over the lapping waves, it was enough to send a tingle down her spine that begged her to feel his lips crushed against hers. It was enough to let her pretend just for tonight there wasn't a place where the Phoenix was chained in battle against the Professor, that there was a cabal of mutants who had dared steal away the daughter born out of the ashes of Alcatraz, and forget that everyday she could lock lips with Logan was a blessing.

"I'll take that as a yes." Logan chuckled after they broke to find their breath.

"That's what I call readin' mah lips Sugah." Marie laughed, giving one last peck as she eased out of his arms.

"Ah hell..." Logan said with a look beyond her.

"Wha...aieeamgoingtokillwhoeverdidthat!" Marie shrieked at the volley of water balloons that struck them.

"You looked like you could use a coolin' off!" Tabitha yelled with her band of merry misfits readying another volley.

Breaking off in a mad dash with Logan at her back likely enjoying the view, she ran to another nearby bin of water balloons to stock up. More students followed suit and it looked like they were all going to work up an appetite. Laughter and idle threats joined the late afternoon as it fell to the evening. It wasn't long before the hoses were pulled out from Ororo's garden, fortifications set up and a few of the faster students rushing back into the house to find more balloons to reload.

"They sure as hell ain't doin' what I think they're doin' are they?!" Marie shrieked.

"That's a catapult if I ever saw one..." Logan answered.

"Oh hell no you ain't that old Mister!" Marie barked.

"Shop class two summers ago, Hank was doin' a combined credit when he was in for a vacation. Mixin' physics with a little history and hands on fun as he called it." Logan recalled with a chuckle.

"You let them build a catapult!?" Marie gasped.

"Only cause Ro was over on the West Coast doin' some work o' sorts." Logan laughed, watching the kids load up for a barrage of balloons.

"Where did they even git that stuff!?" Marie yelled.

"I might o' saved it down in the one woodshed, never know when something like that would come in handy." Logan snorted.

"You so owe me a bubble bath after this Bub." Marie growled as the sky grew dark from the incoming volley of watery death.

"Guess we're fightin' in the shade." Logan quoted.

"Pardon me, I need a ladies opinion at the grill." Kurt interrupted after a bamf.

"Sonova...!" Logan roared as both Kurt and Marie disappeared scant seconds before the balloons found their mark.

Rising with his hands raised in defeat, Logan looked to the gathered kids finding it was just about damn near the whole school at this point. Running a hand through his hair and picking out broken bits of balloon he eyed them all with 'The Original Look'.

"Yer all cleaning this mess up..." Logan started as the entire student body groaned.

"Tomorrow...soups on folks, get it while it's hot!" Logan roared to their cheers, leading the way to the tables that had been left alone around the grills.

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Standing at the edge of the missing wall, he ran a finger along the edge and rubbed the ash between his fingers. Pulling out a handkerchief and wiping them clean, he threw it with the rest of the filth and rubble that still littered the room. At his side Pietro remained quiet, watching and waiting until he was called on. Stepping over a ruined grandfather clock he noted the time and gave a nod, heaving a sigh as he noticed the shattered piano he gave the impression of noting the waste of a fine instrument and the final discordant cry it must have let out.

"Quite the tantrum." Sebastian noted.

Pietro just nodded and followed behind as Sebastian left to head on back to his parlour where Emma waited. She was dressed far more conservative this time, a creamy white pantsuit with a matching briefcase on the table beside her cracked open with folders and reports for her to read. Looking up from one as they entered, she set it down and enjoyed her tea while they settled.

"It appears you were overconfident Emma." Sebastian scolded like one might a troublesome child.

"She had help to break my thrall, I wonder if Charles himself didn't have a hand in this." Emma noted, going back to ignoring them and reading the report.

"What a wasted potential that man was, him and Erik both with their little crusade." Sebastian said with a tutting of his tongue, a maid coming to pour him a glass of wine and then having a nod to Pietro.

Accepting the offered glass and having a seat, he knew about their 'Crusade' better than most having been caught in the very middle of it for years as a boy. With only his sister whom he could trust, the events at Alcatraz had come as a great comeuppance to the man who had dared come into his life as his mother lay dying of pneumonia in the hospital a world away.

"How many times did we all nearly pay the price for their arrogance?" Emma asked with an arched and exquisite eyebrow.

"Jealousy doesn't becomes you Emma, still mad he beat you to that one child you had so much interest in? What was her name?" Sebastian said holding her gaze as he enjoyed a sip of his wine.

"Katherine Pryde, and I haven't given up hope yet." Emma hissed as she threw the file with the rest.

"Hope does indeed spring eternal doesn't it? Now tell me, just how did a child end up escaping after all that?" Sebastian asked with a wave to what had once been his prizes suite.

"Do the names Marie D'Ancanto and Jubilation Lee, pardon, Jubilation Rasputin mean anything to you?" Emma asked.

He had been playing games with Emma long enough to know when she was having her fun, wondering just how these two would be tied to his Phoenix hatchling that had so handily fallen into his lap. Such a creature wasn't meant to run free and he had thought to have crafted the most beautiful gilded cage for it only to find it had taken flight when he had been away dealing with his petulant, upstart of a son.

"Enlighten me Emma." Sebastian said.

"Respectively the Guidance Counsellor and a mechanic under the employ of the Charles Xavier School for Gifted Children. A little further digging found they were former students, Miss D'Ancanto only recently returned while the now Missus Rasputin is...oh how very interesting." Emma noted as she read from another file, having searched what information she had on the school first after her 'talk' with the man who had failed her.

"Don't keep us waiting Emma." Sebastian said with genuine interest.

"You remember that lovely bank we acquired years ago when I weaselled out of a petty little man how he had his employer killed to take it over? Did I ever tell you the name of the poor couple he had killed?" Emma asked.

"No, but I take it they also happened to have a daughter?" Sebastian asked, having another glass of wine poured.

"I wonder if she even knows the reason her parents were killed, the poor thing. I think I am going to have to arrange a meeting, do have Tessa arrange it would you? Somewhere nice but discreet." Emma said with a dismissive sniff to Sebastian as her mind ran with ideas.

Sipping his wine with a smile, Sebastian thought how interesting things were already turning out and he hadn't even put himself to task. In his long life he had learned patience and the enjoyment of games, and one thing that all members of his Inner Circle had was a fierce competitive streak he could nurture and exploit to his needs.

Emma's own horrid childhood had her ever looking for children to nurture and care for, even as she tried to put on a facade as cool as her family name. It had been the reason he had thought her perfect as jailor to his little hatchling, but in hindsight he had to really wonder if she were right. What reach did Charles really have now? Calling his aide, it was a thought for later as Tessa showed herself in to tend to business as always.

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	8. Chapter 8

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

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Rolling over in bed with fluttering eyelids, Marie first noticed the smell of paint that still hung with an accent of sawdust and...coffee. The window was open, that perfect window they had picked out for the view alone of the lake, sheer blinds billowing in the breeze that came off it. The sun was hanging over the trees, the day still early indeed. Hearing a crack of eggs against the skillet, the sizzle promised sunny side up with...yes, there was the bacon. Snuggling deeper in her Egyptian cotton linens, Logan hadn't understood just what thread count meant until last night as the lay together.

She wanted to stay here as long as she could, this perfect moment where everything was right, just her and her fiancé in their home that was all theirs. Hearing coffee being poured, a rummage through the box groceries followed with a crack of a jar that had to be honey and the tinkling stirring with it's encore ringing once, twice, thrice against the rim. Toast was popped and buttered, a plate set, and finally feet walking down the short hall that lead to their bedroom had her enjoying Logan standing there at the door in his boxers with a tray set for two.

"The first o' many breakfasts in bed?" Marie asked with a sleepy smile.

"Maybe next time you could oblige." Logan said all the while finding a seat next to her with the tray the only thing that stood between them.

Quietly breakfasting with the view of the lake to admire, her cheeks dimpled with a smile at his light touch absently stroking her bare hand with his gaze lost out the window. Pleasantly surprised by a pair of ducks landing on the lake, a camera was put on the shopping list with the mansions own little shutterbug to tag along for tips on just what to get. Mallards, a dressed up drake with his consort, swam lazily about to occasionally dive down for a nibble and a bite as they breakfasted themselves.

"Oh my gosh, I hope they stay." Marie whispered fearing she might scare them off.

"Great, just what I wanna have ta do every mornin', clean duck crap off the dock." Logan grumped.

"But the baby duckies?" Marie whispered in protest, imagining the mama mallard and her flock of downy ducklings swimming after her.

Looking to her in that way she had grown so accustomed to, the two battling wills with his failure to see her point, it was just all the more endearing as she leaned in for a kiss and played a game of footsie under the sheets. A roll of the eyes and a breath was his white flag, finding those lines in the sand that had to be drawn in the tug and pull of each others needs. There were already plans for a woodshed the likes of the one Jubilee had found the Harley in, a place for his 'Mistress' to call home. Giggling, she had to admit it was funny to think it just might be her and Piotr chatting in the kitchen over tea while Jubilee and Logan worked away off in the shop tinking on bikes and drinking beer.

"Hun?" Marie asked as her thoughts wandered off to a different idea.

"Yeah babe?" Logan asked, trailing a finger up her arm to draw circles.

"You're pretty handy with yer hands, I was just wondering..." Marie started her musings to be interrupted with a need to playfully slap him for the lecherous look he was throwing her.

"If ya could maybe make a cradle, ya hound dog. Maybe get all the kids in yer shop class ta pitch in, for the baby shower." Marie further expanded, another thing right up along with the nursery she was looking forward to.

"Might be able ta work something out, bit more o' an extra credit sort o' thing as there's a few kids in class I wouldn't trust ta use wood glue let alone a table saw." Logan replied.

Satisfied, she curled up ready to finish the last of her coffee when she felt a poke and saw Logan pointing off out to the lake. She just put it off as his way with animals, some part of his heart beating in time to theirs, but sitting there with him nursing her mug of coffee she was audience to the two mallards flying off together in a flutter of wings and a splash until they were airborne flying off over the tree tops with the sun still rising high in the sky.

"Best. Idea. Ever." Marie cooed, loving her home all the more thinking of all the days ahead of them.

"That's one thing we can both agree on, course the shower ain't finished yet." Logan noted.

"Whatever shall we do?" Marie mused, her eyes lost to the lake and thinking of another place and time.

"Up fer a lil skinny dippin'?" Logan asked.

"Only if I get ta watch ya race that bare behind off the edge of the dock." Marie sniffed, false pride painting her face.

"All the better ta watch ya follow on after babe, I'll get the toiletries if you get the towels." Logan offered.

Jumping out of bed in time to his leap, Marie was rushing off to that box she had snagged from their shower the night before to pause and watch one fine behind race past her toiletries already in hand.

"Cheater!" Marie spat, knowing when she had been played but not caring just then.

With everything at the edge of the dock in easy reach, Logan was the first to rush off and leap with a twist to show her his birthday suit before crashing below the dark waters. Holding herself with a bit of modesty fearing someone might crash the party at the worst possible moment, she saw Logan breach the surface and grin at her.

"Waters fine Venus, and I'm still waiting." Logan called out.

Looking down to herself with a blush and a smile she couldn't fight, her hands had fallen just as in that famous portrait though her hair wasn't quite that long. Rushing for a graceless leap dreading the first chill touch of the lake, gasping for breath and treading water she found herself staring into his eyes full of adoration.

"Best. Idea. Ever." Marie sputtered once again between breaths, his cocky grin everything she wanted then as they swam together just as the mated mallards had.

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Illyana tenderly held her sister's hair and winced once again, Rachel and Abby both going for the full grimace and paling of complexion at the awful noise that was morning sickness. The three had brought breakfast in bed, full of fresh fruit and milk and fresh squeezed orange juice...they still had to clean up the kitchen after Rachel had exercised some telekinesis to that end. It sat untouched out on the bed, right along with their sugary cereal that had once been the property of another.

"Are you feeling better?" Illyana asked.

Jubilee shook her head and settled down with her face to the porcelain, a flush of the toilet bringing a soothing cool blast of fresh air. Not even in high school as she was already an Auntie, Illyana had to think her 'What I did over my summer break' report for Kurt's class was going to be worth an easy A.

"Yana?" Jubilee asked in a wavering voice.

"Yeah Ju Bee?" Illyana asked soothingly.

"Take a picture of me right now please, lots. For when your niece and nephew get up to the fun you three are probably gonna get up to in the foreseeable future I just wanna be able to show 'em I got no...sympathy...whatsoever. " Jubilee moaned.

Passing off the duty of holding the air to Rachel, Illyana skipped out of existence as far as most were concerned to pop back with her camera in a flash of light. Snapping away as another awful hurking noise sounded, it became a game of a different kind of throne with all the girls squeezing in with the mother who was still very much expecting.

"Okay, that's it. Mommy's hungry so both of you go to your corners and play nice." Jubilee growled, heading to the vanity for a good brush of her teeth and several rinses of mouthwash.

"I thought..." Illyana started.

"Fruit and brushed teeth tasted icky?" Abby obliged.

"There's a whole lot of icky down there." Rachel noted, flushing the toilet one last time.

Piling into the bedroom of the current Mister and Missus Pitor 'Pete' Rasputin, a breakfast tray sat down on the bed with tablet with the Missus's favourite car blog ready and waiting. The only absence was the Mister who was just as much the dotting husband as he was the dotting and verily protective brother.

"He's down with Missus...Mommy Roro, talking about..." Rachel broached.

"Was I leaking?" Jubilee asked, peeling the rind off an orange slice.

"No, I was just..." Rachel said quietly.

"Worried? Don't worry kiddo, Missus Grey...your mom, she used to do that to me a lot, when she was worried." Jubilee said softly, reaching out to offer the choice slice of orange.

Smiling with unshed tears in her eyes, Rachel ate the orange slice in silence while Abby and Illyana joined in pilfering the last few without any protest or reprimand from the woman they were meant for. Instead Jubilee looked to the trio, the girl a couple of years senior to the others though the truth a curious thing indeed.

"I know you're all worried about me." Rachel confessed.

Having a look to Illyana and Abby, Jubilee joined them in tackling the sullen girl for a much needed group hug. In a tangle of limbs, legs and laughs they tickled another with abandon not caring who it was, the laughter a medicine always advised by a lady whose bedside manner might seem harsh but heart had untold depths. Breathless and gasping, they lay together staring up to the ceiling of the loft spent and tired.

"We're not worried about anything Rachel, not now that you're home. No way Mommy Roro, Logan, Petey, Kit kat, or any of us are letting you go now. You just hang tight with me and Roguey, Yana and Abby here." Jubilee boasted.

"I'm scared." Rachel admitted.

Drawn into a hug, Rachel already nearly as tall as Jubilee, it didn't matter as they laid together pressing brows and looking into one another's eyes. Things unspoken were shared in that gaze, fears acknowledged and overcome, fears dreaded and still cowered from.

"Next time Uncle Chuck has a minute, send him my way for an ear full wouldja? He forgot ta tell ya one important thing that I know first hand." Jubilee said aloud.

"What's that?" Rachel asked, feeling the support and comfort offered to her by Illyana and Abby.

"It doesn't matter what deep, dark hole you're in...the X-men come for their own. You're one of us, we'll always come for you, y'hear me kid?" Jubilee promised.

"I hear you Missus...Rasputin, I hear you." Rachel swore.

"Good, otherwise the moment Terri and Daddy Cassidy hit stateside I'd have 'em tell ya what for. So, whose up for a drive in my other baby?" Jubilee asked.

The three arms raised skyward were the answer she longed to see then, needing a good dose of fresh air that only her classic Thunderbird convertible could bring her out along the back roads of Westchester County.

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"You do not believe her to lie?" Pete asked, the copy of the email a real thing he could tear to shreds if he so desired.

"From what I can understand of Miss Frost is that lying is beneath her, it leads me to believe this was something...she only just discovered that is useful to her." Betsy admitted.

Looking from Betsy to Ororo, Pete saw this was no easier for her let alone the clandestine way they were going about it all. The email seemed innocent enough, one Hellfire Club member to another with a bit of business to an associate. In this case the associate was by way of relation the co-worker to the co-worker she had brought into the discourse along with the Headmistress of the school.

"If it is true..." Ororo began, a pause as she had to struggle with her own emotions.

"She'll have to suffer the loss of her parents all over again, know they were murdered just so..." Pete carried on, unable to finish at the awful revelation.

"The simple fact she will have to face the murder of her parents again is reason enough to vet that this is from Emma herself, and only then do we figure out just how to let Jubilee know." Betsy finished, no stranger to the world of pain and suffering from the aristocracy she was borne into and to being a mutant.

"As soon as Marie is available I shall brief her on this, Pete...Piotr, if you could be there I would appreciate it greatly." Ororo said with a smile full of her plea.

"Of course, you needn't ask. If anyone is to tell my wife just why her parents were killed it will be me, no matter how horrible and craven the reason. All the same, if this is how this Hellfire Club goes about fighting..." Pete said, carrying on until a hand was waved asking for silence.

"We can only hope we are wrong, but if this is indeed how they fight then we will show them we are not one to back down and be intimidated, we will rise to the challenge. I promise this, to you, to all my students past, present and future. This will be a safe haven, this I vow." Ororo said softly though her words laced with steel.

"Thank you." Pete said.

It was enough as she watched him walk out, alone with Betsy who had become one of those few people she trusted to hear her fears. Slumping down in her chair and rubbing the bridge of her nose as she fought against letting her emotions tug to the will and wisp of the elements, Ororo looked to Betsy who offered her a sympathetic look having found out how deep her own families history ran red into the Hellfire Club.

"You don't have to ask, I'll handle everything. You just worry about keeping the school safe, I'll worry about Emma." Betsy promised.

"Even still...I cannot help but wonder if she wanted to hurt us she would not have gone about it in such a round about way, I believe before this is all over with I shall have to meet this White Queen and test her metal." Ororo said, voicing her own worries as the lady whom the school's troubles weighed on.

"I wish I could tell you otherwise Ororo, but I have to admit you're right. She's up to something, and we have to figure it out, right along with how to tell Jubilee. Yet again, just what are we to tell Logan?" Betsy broached.

"The truth, and trust him to trust us as we find out just how to handle this, right along with Marie. As our counsellor we will have need of her with the fallout of this, we should only ready her to just how awful it just may be." Ororo said quietly, the pain that clutched at her chest at thinking of her new found daughter suffering an awful thing indeed.

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	9. Chapter 9

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

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Running her fingers along the name of her office, she thought how Logan would be forced to change it again soon enough. Walking to her desk and sitting on the edge, she looked about to all the touches that made it all the more special to her, touches from the students and her friends that made it feel like home. A painting by Pete in its place of honour, a photo of her along with Kitty and Jubilee in the back of the Thunderbird, and all the dvds and books up on the shelves that dotted the space thinking of the times she had sat with the students chatting so easily watching a flick or reading a novel.

Trailing a nail down the stack of cds by the stereo, she picked one out and set it to play flopping down in her wheely chair after and get ready to get to work. The Rolling Stones was always a good way to start the day.

"You can't always get what you want..." Marie sang.

Humming along and checking her emails, blowing a breath through pursed lips she thought the words all too apt trying to sort through all the spam that had gotten past the near sentient filter Kitty had set up. There were jokes from Layla and Bobby alike, attached photos sent from Illyana showing she had just the same eye as her older brother admiring the few she opened.

"Next time I go on vacation we're goin' somewhere I get damn phone reception." Marie promised.

The smile that tugged and pulled until she surrendered was one fuelled by the thought that her next vacation would likely be her honeymoon. Scrolling through all the emails that had piled up she tilted her head tapping a finger against the mouse wondering just how to attack the backlog. Hearing a knock she looked up to see Pete darkening her door, his face troubled and his eyes dark. She hadn't seen him since...the event, the revelation, the thing she still couldn't believe had really happened. Out of it all had come the one real bit of good news, twins. Yet looking on Pete she had to wonder how he could be so sad looking with the thought of a little Hailey and Mikhail awaiting him just months down the road.

"Marie...may I, may I have a moment?" Pete asked.

"Of course, git yer butt in here." Marie swore, leaning back in her chair and waving him on in.

Her own first bit of apprehension came as he shut the door and locked it, the sign outside reading 'In Session' now. The last time she had seen him worried he had told her all about his plans to propose, yet here he was looking a shadow of the usual calm and serene man that was a rock to so many. The knot of fear that bound her stomach was painful to suffer as he just stood there looking to find the words to tell what had him so worried.

"I wanted to tell you first, because I know you alone know exactly what she went through. Because I can trust you to tell me just what I should say, just how I should tell her...tell her..." Pete said in a pained quiet that had him struggling to find his voice.

"What's this about Pete?" Marie asked with her worry driving her to her feet to close the distance that stood between them.

"A woman that Betsy tells me is very high in both the Hellfire Club and their business front says she knows who had, _had_ Jubilee's parents killed." Pete whispered.

She had lived through that night as a twisted nightmare feeling all the fear and terror of a girl only eight years old hiding in the dark corner of a basement unable to move after hearing the screams of her parents silenced by the thunderous gunshots that ended their lives. Breathless with her knees buckling as her legs couldn't carry her, Marie felt Pete reaching to catch her even as she clutched his legs burying her tear stained eyes against his denim jeans.

To think it was a random act of violence was the only thing that made it bearable, now to face such a truth, it was horrible. Feeling herself picked up so easily and moved to the chesterfield helped her to realize just how awful it must be for him, just how painful and heartbreaking it would be for her friend. Finding her reserve of strength she blinked away the tears, rubbed them clean and hide her face in her clasped hands taking a long and slow breath to help her remember the simple act, breath in and breath out, repeat ad infinitum or as long as she was given.

"Can we trust, can we believe her?" Marie asked incredulous that anyone who had stolen away the miraculous daughter of the late Jean Grey without their even knowing.

Pete looked to only find the strength to nod, just exactly how this this news had come about she could only wonder but the fear in his eyes was real enough to have her wrap him up in a long and enduring hug. He had come to her first once before, too afraid then to ask a question that would change his life forevermore hoping for his fears to be proved foolish. This time she knew his fears were real, her own reaction a reminder of just how deeply that memory had been burned into her soul.

"What are we going to tell her?" Marie asked.

Pete looked to her with a patient smile and shook his head, his meaning clear to her even if it stung for just a moment. Hugging him anew, she had to accept that this was something he had taken on himself to do alone.

"If either o' ya need anyone to talk to after, after this. Ya know where to find me." Marie promised, climbing to her feet with him to walk to her door.

"Thank you Marie, it means alot...to the both of us." Pete said in leaving, taking a moment to right his shoulders and find some calm before heading off.

Closing the door and pressing her head to aged wood with her hand on the lock, she fought against the urge to throw the bolt that would leave her in peace to wallow and let the tears come. Listening to the kids on the other side of that door rushing around, laughing and yelling and just acting their age, she was the one that had to be strong for them and help through the tears that might come or the confusion that filled them with worry and doubt. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, she stood straight and set her shoulders before opening the door just as it was always meant to be.

Her office was a refuge, a place for people to come when they were lost and feeling all alone. Even if it was just exactly how she felt just then, all it took was the first to come wandering in with imploring eyes and a sheepish step to have her realize it worked both ways. As much as she helped them, they in return helped her, putting on a smile and waving to the girl who looked new to the school and in need of a friend.

"Hi, I'm Marie, what's your name Sugah?"

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	10. Chapter 10

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

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Feeling the burden of the truth he had to tell his wife, Pete had taken a round about way through the school looking for her in all her usual haunts, from the garage to the den to the linen closet up on the third floor where she had her one last stash of treats hidden in what had once been a fuse box for that section of the school in days long past. He could have just called her, but asking after her to everyone he met gave him time to think just what to say when he finally found her.

The Danger Room was empty as was its control booth, the Hangar for the Blackbird full of only ghosts thinking back to the missions he had been on. That was still a conversation to have, his place as an X-man in sharp contrast to his role as a husband and a father to be. Reaching for his phone and pressing the cool glass to his head, he looked down to it with his thumb ready to swipe at the screen and make that call to end his game of hide and seek.

"She's on the roof."

Turning in surprise, he found Rachel standing there looking so small in the cavernous hangar. His worry for his pregnant wife being on the roof of all places was momentarily forgotten as he looked into those eyes that were suddenly too old for the young face they were framed within. They were the eyes of another just then, a lady who had only ever needed to say a few words to him to dispel his doubts.

"Rachel?" Pete asked, two steps taken and a blink leaving him alone.

Spinning about looking for her, he swiped his phone and scrolled through to find the person to first check with as Snowflake. Three rings was all it took.

"Piotr?" Illyana asked after a swallow that carried too well over the phone.

"Is Rachel with you?" Pete asked.

"Yes, she's right here. We're watching movies, we made caramel popcorn, it's so good." Illyana sounded to be stuffing her face again.

He could hear the questions of just 'who' was right there, but thinking again on the spectre he had seen he hoped to sidestep any worry he might cause them. That would be a question for Betsy herself, nothing to bother children with.

"Just remember no sneaking off without asking Ororo first, and then calling me." Pete reminded playing the overbearing brother.

"Pitor..." Illyana groaned dragging out his name, Pete left to picture her roll of the eyes.

"I love you Yana." Pete said, words that never grew old to him.

"You too." Illyana said, at the age of being too self conscious to say aloud the words amongst her friends.

Ending the call and looking again to where he thought he had seen Rachel, he thought now just who it might well have been and had to fight against the tears that she could spare a moment to try and help him even still as he was filled full of doubts anew on just what to say.

"Thank you, Miss Grey."

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The flat roof was a secret most people found out about after enough time, she still remembered her first time squeezing up through a linen closet that had a hatch to a forgotten and dusty attic. Armed with just a flashlight she found down in the junk drawer of the kitchen, the batteries were so weak as to only bring a dim glow just enough to cast it all in menacing shadow. There were wooden rungs nailed right to the wall leading on up to another hatch, the lock broken and shattered long since by a likely other adventurous soul.

Now all it took was just fishing through her keys and taking the proper ladder up that lead to another, still wondering just why she was filled with so much dread and worry suddenly. Putting it off to her hormones or just the thought of all the responsibility of bringing twins in to the world, Jubilee sat there on the warm summer day a Lady of all she surveyed which in this case happened to be the carriage house. The boathouse was hidden by trees, but she could just barely see the dock peeking out past.

"Jubilation?"

"Holy shit!" Jubilee yelped in surprise and shock.

Peeking his head up out of hatch, she turned an accusing finger on him readying for another rant on how someone as big as him shouldn't move that quietly. Yet as she looked into his eyes, her dread doubled and she felt herself crying though she knew not why.

"What is it Pete?" Jubilee asked, her love extracting himself from the hatch with a bit of effort.

That he didn't say anything right away filled her stomach with worry, waiting there safely away from the edges she always loved but having more than herself to think of now. Sitting down with her and wrapping her up in his embrace, it was a mixed moment of comfort and fear as she placed her smaller cut marred hands over his larger ones with the little bits of paint that never washed away.

"I was looking for you..." Pete whispered, his hands shifting to splay over her belly.

"I just had to get out, I dunno. I just felt like I couldn't breath." Jubilee whispered, placing her hands overtop his.

"Is everything alright?" Pete asked full of new worry.

"Yeah, I just...I dunno, all of a sudden it felt like...you know when you can't remember if you left the acetylene burning on the bench and you think you're gonna burn down the whole garage right as you're ready for bed?" Jubilee asked.

"No." Pete said with a honest smile, always surprised at the two worlds they came from though sharing the love of working with their hands.

"Well, it felt like that and a whole heck of a lot worse. I just had to find somewhere I could breath." Jubilee said softly, working her fingers between his to clench his hands tightly.

"Jubilation?" Pete asked.

"Something happened didn't it?" Jubilee questioned, always able to read his mood by just the way he held her, ever her guardian.

"Do you trust Betsy?" Pete posed, putting off the worst he had to reveal just that much longer.

"Course, why?"

The bluntness of her statement helped him through the next, guile to Jubilee as alien a concept as the French cuisine they had introduced her to in Paris. Not that she didn't have her secrets, but when it came to what was on her mind it was usually told by her easy to read moods from her quiet sadness to her loud temper to her passionate time in all those hotel rooms and even a roll in the hay at the Rasputin Farmstead for the sake of tradition.

"Because she doesn't believe the woman who has brought this to us to be lying, and that makes it all the worse." Pete said, struggling to keep his tears in check though at least one surely must have fallen against her neck for the shiver that ran down her back.

"Brought..." Jubilee started, struggling for breath as her voice died, "Brought what?"

"The very same Miss Frost, whom we believe to have been one of the captors of Rachel, has through her agents in the Hellfire Group brought to us a claim to know who, who..." Pete said starting strong, gasping painfully at the hand that clenched his heart after seemingly punching him straight in the stomach.

"Who what, Pete!?" Jubilee cried, twisting in his grasp to stare up at him.

"A claim to know who had your parents murdered." Pete said so quietly it took her the pattering beats of her heart to realize what he had just sputtered.

The first painful wail was muffled as she buried her face against his chest, nearly vanishing beneath his frame as he rolled her down to lay with her and cradle her close. Below a figure fought against the rage that suddenly filled him, throwing down his cigar and stamping it out hard and fierce having declared even the Garage a 'No Smoking' area for the rare times he still indulged in that vice. Disappearing past the door to the school, the lovers were left alone to the grief at a past better left forgotten dredged up anew along with all the old wounds reopened.

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"Anything ya wanna tell me?" Logan asked, leaning against the frame to the office of Betsy Braddock.

A bottle of Scotch before her and a bottle of Advil next to it, she looked up from her choice all while massaging her temples. Throwing the pills in her desk and taking out another glass, she placed it beside the first and uncorked the bottle to pour two generous fingers in both and waved to the empty seat. Taking a seat and the offered glass, he leaned back and crossed his feet against another to stare her down across the antique desk.

"That I have a splitting headache from keeping the schools telepaths, Rachel included, oblivious to the grief radiating from both Marie and Jubilation." Betsy hissed, sipping her glass but still noticing that his sat pressed to his lips untouched.

"Ah shit." Logan swore, swallowing both fingers and pouring another.

"He went to talk to her first, oh and I really do believe my suspicions about Jubilee are true. A latent telepath, what most people would have called a 'gut instinct' once. There's a rapport building between her and Pete, strong enough to drive her to the roof out of all his dreading and fretting on how to tell her." Betsy revealed.

"Was that why her door was locked?" Logan asked turning the conversation back to Marie.

"No, just a new student needed some time to cry. I think it was a good excuse for Marie to do so as well, I barely had time to clamp down on the pain washing off her from those shared memories." Betsy admitted, gulping down the last of her scotch to take a long and deep breath with her eyes closed.

Just nodding and thinking towards having a bit of time with his own wife to be, Logan looked on Betsy full of new respect for all the secrets she had to keep. It was something he shared in common with her, all those little overheard things and just the telltale scents and aromas that hinted at kids dabbling as they would but letting them run with just enough leash before he had to lay down the law.

"It's tough, ain't it?" Logan asked, tapping his forehead with a look of understanding to her.

"Very, yet it's the reason I never question giving up my oh so glamourous lifestyle. I can take on the pain they're not ready for, shield them from the world I had to grow up in and just let them be kids. It's worth every migraine and nose bleed and deciding most of the time the better bottle to open." Betsy said with a raised glass asking to be filled.

"It's all about them at the end o' the day, ain't it?" Logan asked as he obliged her, just adding a bit more to his own before raising his in toast to her fresh one.

"Always." Betsy swore, the two clinking their glasses together in an oath between people who understand another better than they would have thought possible.

"I'll drink to that." Logan replied in a low rumble.

"On your way out, could you draw the curtains and turn off the lights. I think the worst is over for now, and my chesterfield is looking oh so very inviting." Betsy hissed, slowly making her way to lay down on the leather couch.

Knowing he had been dismissed, Logan did as he was asked and just a bit more laying a blanket over her and finding the bottle of Advil from her desk. Leaving them at the end table along with a bottle of water he found in her mini-frige, he looked on her one last time as he flicked the light switch and closed he door quietly behind him. With one door behind him, he had another to go wait by, longing to wrap his Marie up in his arms and have her just lean on him and let out whatever had been forced down.

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	11. Chapter 11

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

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The kids weren't stupid, that was one thing he had learned over the years, they knew what their home was meant to feel like and looking to them as they walked down the halls and rushed off to the den or rec room he saw the underlying tension in them right down to every look cast his way as he stood outside her office waiting.

"Cuppa joe teach?" Tabitha asked, surprising him as she snuck up holding a couple of mugs.

"Thanks kid." Accepting the coffee with a small smile and enjoying a sip, it was just the way he liked it.

"So, you and Roguey lookin' at doin' a little nooner? If so, can ya not use her office as that's so many kinds of wrong." Tabitha carried on, taking the other side of the door to kick her foot up against the wall.

"Never dream of it." Logan chuckled, caught in a lie as he had entertained the idea but shot it down thinking of everything the office was meant to be.

"What, a nooner or just in there bangin' against her desk?" Tabitha asked throwing a sly look his way.

Raising a finger to his lips begging quiet, a few of the fresh batch of faces to the school rushed off by. Waiting until they were out of earshot, he looked back to the resident hell raiser and saw she had the good grace to blush even if it was followed by some laughter.

"So, seriously, what's up? I saw Big Pete here earlier and now him and Jubes are up on the roof with her bawlin' her eyes out. It's not...the baby is it?" Tabitha had unspent tears in her eyes and her lip bitten hard forcing herself not to let them fall.

"Ya got my word kid that everythin' is fine on that front. Just a bit o' bad news came and Petey manned up ta be the one ta tell it to her, right after a bit o' advice from our Guidance Counsellor here." Logan admitted, giving a nod to the door that still read 'In Session'.

"Holy shit, ya got no idea now good that is to hear. Not the bad news, the fact that...fuck, you know what I mean." Tabitha blathered, letting go of the breath she'd been holding bracing herself for the worst.

"I know what ya mean kid, and I'll pretend I didn't hear that just now. If ya go hearin' any rumours otherwise, feel free ta set 'em straight tellin' ya got it from me personally." Logan replied, eyeing the resident gossip queen.

"On the front of rumours, any reason the new girl looks like Miss Grey?" Tabitha further dug looking for answers to sate her curiosity.

Eyeing her hard now, he swirled around his mug and thought hard just how to handle this bit of trouble eyeing him in the package of the girl with the most detention time racked up with him alone. He'd been trying to figure out ways to deal with her rebellious streak for a while now, forced to finally admit there might only be one way.

"Yep, but nothin' I can tell ya so far kid. So keep it under yer hat, cause ya ain't gonna have time ta be spreadin' any fresh ones." Logan grunted.

"Why's that?" Tabitha asked, turning on him full of interest and a mix of roused ire at being told what to do without a good reason.

"Cause yer gettin' what ya want, chance ta go prove ta me yer fit ta wear the leathers o' a Junior. You and a few others I'll have ta have a chat with, so tone down the antics cause ya ain't got time for detention anymore." Logan added.

"You are shitting me!?" Tabitha gasped.

"What did I just say? Now that's ten laps around the school, now git." Logan growled.

"Seriously?!" Tabitha whined, buckling under the glare she got in return as she did a quick about face and bolted.

Turning his attention back to the door, the sign fell as it opened, Marie standing there with red rimmed eyes but a smile set up on her lips. Standing protectively over her ward, the girl couldn't have been much older than twelve with soulful blue eyes mostly hidden under bangs of purple. Nubs looking like they might one day sprout to antlers could just barely be seen dotting her brow.

"Hun, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is Logan." Marie introduced.

Kneeling down to lessen his imposing height over the young girl, he gently pressed a finger to her chin to guide her eyes to his. Her skin was a lilac shade of violet, one of those children that couldn't hide how different she was.

"He doesn't looks scarey like me..." Sarah mumbled, scratching at a dry patch of skin on her arm that flaked away to show another nub.

"Ya don't look so scarey yerself half pint." Logan grunted, playing for the audience after catching the way Marie affectionately started to stroke the girl's shoulders soothingly.

The nub was gripped and drawn out with a wet 'schlunk' as a shank if he ever saw one, wielded right along with troublesome ease. Looking up into those blue eyes he could see the world of hurt she held in them, something he knew a thing or two about.

"Does it hurt?" Logan asked, remembering the first time anyone had ever asked him that every same thing.

"Yes..." Sarah grunted, struggling to glare at him.

"Ya wanna know just what makes me so scarey?" Logan asked.

Her troubled blue eyes looked on up to Marie's own sad green as if looking for permission that was given with a soft nod and a light squeeze to her shoulders. Turning back and stubbornly jutting out her chin, she waited as he raised a fist up and flexed it between them as slowly three unbreakable claws sliced through his flesh. Holding her gaze in his and letting the wince of pain show until it was all over, the hurt in those blue eyes twisted to show the slightest bit of awe.

"It hurts?" Sarah asked, raising a finger to touch the blunt side of the surprisingly warm metal.

"Every time..." Logan replied.

Sheathing them lightning fast with the awful 'snickt', he let her explore the place between his knuckles they had vanished to with only the blood left to hint after them. The bone shank was passed between them, jogging something deep within his sluggish memories as he dug down in his jeans looking for some cash.

"Here kid, fer the shank." Logan remarked, passing off a ten note.

"It's a gift." Sarah growled, glaring at him full of a different kind of hurt.

"Way I hear it, ya only gift a knife ta a friend when ya wanna cut 'em off. This way, we can still be pals." Logan explained.

Though her eyes told a different story, she stubbornly took the ten bucks and stuffed it down her pocket. Looking up to his love with a wink, he got back to his feet and made way for Sarah to wander off a ways. Stopping down a ways to look back at them, her brow wrinkled in annoyance and frustration as she looked to be mulling over her next words.

"Still don't think you look scarey." Sarah grumbled.

"See me before my mornin' cup if ya want scarey." Logan snorted, chuckling a little as he caught a hint of a smirk on her grimly set lips.

Turning her back to them and rushing off, Sarah vanished down the hall leaving them alone as much as they could be in a crowd. Reaching up to brush aside the fresh tears, he could tell this time they were his favourite, full of happy twists of her heart. Kissing her there not giving a damn what the kids thought, he felt the tension he'd kept bottled up knotted away in his back wash away as she wrapped him up in a hug.

"Guess ya heard?" Marie whispered, touching noses and licking her lips savouring his taste on them.

"Ya know this place and gossip." Logan chuckled, giving her a light peck on those lips again.

"Has Pete...?" Marie asked, answered by the stroking of his thumbs against her cheeks, "Is she...okay?"

"Havin' a good cry, probably blame it all on hormones once she's through even if'in I think it might be a little soon fer that. Whoever the hell this bitch thinks she is though, she's messing with the wrong family." Logan whispered, twisting to guide her off back into her office.

He didn't have to say anything else as he pulled her into his embrace, holding her dearly on the chesterfield and lightly twirling a lock of her hair around his finger. Staring into her eyes, she looked ready for a fight, growling in approval remembering a day he brought voice to his feelings on the subject. Someone had just hurt the closest he had to a kid sister, and that someone was in for hell once a couple of planes landed later on in the day bringing the rest of their wayward folk back home.

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Despite the Victorian furnishings of the bedroom, rock pop from the eighties played with posters of idols and movie stars from that era. Shelves meant to hold books housed toys instead, a collection to make the most rabid fan of that era envious. Plush bears with embroidered bellies, action figures and a line of dolls littered the room. Yet at the vanity siblings far too old for the conjured childhood bedroom sat, the brother gently brushing his sisters hair that shimmered like silk in the dim lamplight of the wall sconces.

"I'm told you haven't been eating." Pietro said without accusation, only worry winding its way into his voice.

"I haven't had an appetite." Wanda replied, flipping a page of her romance she read.

"Any reason for this?" Pietro asked, putting the brush down right where it belonged atop the vanity.

Her eyes looked up to meet his in the mirror, the eyes of a person who had seen things she rather wished she hadn't but was far too old to go wishing upon stars. Leaving her side if only to escape her gaze, Pietro admired the collection she had gathered and picked up a favourite of his as a boy. It had been a gift to him his birthday past, twenty years late but even still it managed to bring a smile as he tenderly set it back down right next to the sword wielding powerful princess, twin siblings that had so touched them as children.

"You felt it, didn't you?" Pietro asked the question he had dreaded to ask.

The music ended, the remote set back down right along with her book. Leaving the vanity to confront him, Wanda forced him to meet her gaze to see everything she couldn't express aside from the haunted expression locked within her dark eyes that swallowed the light so easily.

"You are our father's son." Wanda said, stepping past him to linger at the door.

"I am nothing like him!" Pietro roared.

"Then tell me you're not as foolish as him or Shaw to think...it...can be controlled, tell me for all you're hate of our father that you can learn from his painful lesson that cost him his friend?" Wanda asked, her hand on the doorknob.

"Father treated it as a weapon, we gave her a family!" Pietro challenged, his fists balled as he glared at her back.

"I think that was the thing we stole from her, try as Emma honestly might out of her own need to fill that role. Excuse me, I'm feeling peckish." Wanda mused, stepping past the threshold to close the door behind her with a sharp but quiet click.

Left alone seething, Pietro watched as the collection toppled and the mirror of the vanity shattered. Expressing herself differently, she always let it be known when she was truly mad or angry. Heaving a breath and berating himself for getting so worked up over forever being compared to his father, right down to his prematurely white hair, he walked back to the shelve and righted the twins. Standing over so much chaos and destruction, he felt she had made her point as he too excused himself.

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"Alright seriously, what's wrong and why the hell are you letting someone drive your baby?" Kitty asked immediately on exiting the airport to spy her ride.

Nestled in the back of the Thunderbird, Pete sat with Jubilee curled up in a blanket with Marie at the wheel. Nearby flagrantly disregarding the no smoking sign, Logan leaned up against his bike with another helmet resting ready. Trudging along with a large duffel, Bobby looked to the welcoming party and took it all in.

"You bring me a souvenir?" Jubilee countered.

Reaching into her pocket and dangling it out for inspection, it was a pewter dolphin key chain. On seeing it, it brought a smile to her face as she gratefully accepted it. Dangling it, she looked to her rearview and found a place of honour for it, Marie taking to task. The trunk was popped and the luggage stowed, Kitty and Bobby looking to the car wondering just who would get the privilege as they glared at another in challenge. Deciding it with a flip, Bobby won out over a grumbling Kitty who flopped into the shotgun seat as he himself took the wheel.

"So, who's gonna tell me how to drive stick?" Bobby asked, Jubilee already tearing out of her seat to reach for the keys.

"I kid, I kid!" Bobby cried, laughing a little as he fought with every dirty trick he could muster, frosty fingers finding some of her ticklish spots.

"I hear one ground gear..." Jubilee threatened, slumping back down with Pete, her arms crossed glaring daggers at Bobby.

The kick start of Logan's bike brought a moments cease fire, everyone looking on up to find Marie wearing her helmet painted with the night sky of the northern lands that were only known to them in stories and pictures. Thinking again of what that helmet meant to them, the mood mellowed with some smiles and waves to the lovers racing off ahead.

"So, that's a no to keeping after them?" Bobby asked, sedately following after babying the classic convertible.

"I think maybe it'd be good just to take the scenic route, I don't even know how the hell I'm supposed to say this..." Jubilee sighed, burying her face against Pete's chest.

"Okay Lee, now you're honestly scaring me. The baby is, you're both all okay right?" Kitty whispered, leaning over the seat to stare back and get a nod from the future parents.

"Fuck, when have I ever known to be subtle..." Jubilee huffed.

"I dunno, you and Pete dating was pretty sneaky." Bobby called back, coming to a rolling stop at a sign and blowing through with the way clear.

Kicking the back seat and immediately regretting her temper at the sight of the scuff mark on the upholstery, she looked up to Pete to borrow some of his strength given freely with a kiss once to her lips, and then to the tip of her nose. Watching it all play out in a twisted knot of emotion, Kitty wondered how she could feel so worried and at the same time melt at the sight of such love. Sputtering a giggle as the thought came to her, she wondered just what secret soft little affections Marie only saw of Logan that could match the freely shared tenderness of Pete and Jubilee.

"Bitch from the Hellfire Group had her secretary or something call up sayin' she knows who had my parents killed..." Jubilee struggled to say with her voice faltering.

"She knows who killed them?!" Kitty gasped in horror.

"Had them killed?" Bobby asked to be sure he heard what he had, sparing a glance back in the rearview.

"Wait, you mean...oh shit. Can we even believe her? Who the hell is she?" Kitty cried, her ever analytical mind already bulling through her horror.

"Emma Frost, the one confirmed to have been keeping Rachel." Pete answered, feeling the tired sigh of his wife.

"Holy shit..." Kitty breathed, falling back in her seat to stare unseeing at the road ahead.

"You know her?" Jubilee asked in shock.

"Not exactly, not like I knew about all this Hellfire Group stuff until I did some cramming on the flight. But I interned for a company under their umbrella like, a year ago. They tried to get me again this year but I'm going with Hank, and then there's SHIELD, and...fuck me...I worked for an evil business conglomerate that might have killed my best friend's parents..." Kitty explained, rambling on until she could only whisper being short of breath.

"That kidnapped the magic daughter of our dead teacher, who also has Bucket Head's twin kids in their roster..." Jubilee added, the last something Pete had shared with her.

"It sounds so fricking crazy when you say it like that." Kitty admitted.

"Welcome to our lives, we do average crazy for breakfast. Who's up for a stop in town for my favourite truck stop, I need something other than rabbit food before Moira's plane lands. Petey can order for me and the Kids to make sure I don't cheat too bad." Jubilee moaned, curling up in the blanket feeling a chill roll down her back that wasn't from riding in the back of a convertible at night.

"Whoa, backup, kids? You mean twins?" Kitty asked in renewed shock of a more enjoyable kind.

"Oh damn, I was supposed to tell you that wasn't I?" Bobby grinned.

"You're having twins!?" Kitty shrieked gleefully.

"A little Hailey and Mikhail, who if he doesn't want to be grounded right off the bat better be born first mister..." Jubilee said to her belly that still would be taking a while to show.

"How did you find out?" Kitty asked full of wonder.

"Dinner first, then Pete can tell you. I'm all full on all kinds of enough crazy for one day, he can also tell you what Betsy told him and Logan even if I think she's nuts." Jubilee huffed.

"Wow, Rahne is gonna have a field day with you." Kitty admitted.

Blowing a raspberry and hiding within the accepting arms of her husband, Jubilee hid from anything else in the warm comfort of the blanket and his love. Leaving them be and twisting back in her seat, Kitty caught the eye of Bobby who she just gave a nod to, something they had talked about on the plane ride back.

_What's a year off?_ Kitty mouthed in silence, Bobby just giving a shrug as he pushed the car a little harder having a date with a truck stop for some comfort food.

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	12. Chapter 12

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

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The tales had been told over the greasy fare of the truck stop, exceptions made for her expectant friend to have a burger as long as she chased it with a salad. The ride through the night had been a magical time spent pressed against his back and holding on tight to never let go, the man that would soon enough become her husband. Laying on the dock of their own little slice of heaven with the tinkling sound of her love's Harley cooling in the night, Marie stared up at the night sky as galactic splash of stars split the heavens.

Around them their neighbours played their nightly song, the silence telling the hunt underway or an intruder to their realm. With her head in his lap as he smoked away at a pipe all the while resting against a post of the dock, she pulled the blanket about her to keep away the chill fo the night and those few biting insects that were never welcome. The thought of winter down at the edge of the lake came, rolling back a season to the painted leaves of the Fall to come. Breathing in the aroma of tobacco and the lake, she let her worries fall to the morrow when she could do something about them.

"Yer whittlin' again." Marie noted.

A wink thrown her way was all he had for her, his hands running over the found piece of wood as he dug for his pocket knife. Stripping away the bark and weathering to the clean wood beneath, shavings fell with a few landing in her hair, a small price to pay as she enjoyed the sight of those hand so tenderly holding blade and knotted branch to find the trapped vision he saw held within. Their camper had a score of these keepsakes, and now their home was finding their own collection.

About the kitchen and in the bedroom, one among her books that looked like a lady languishing in wait of her lover, she treasured them all. Rolling to her side and staring off over the lake, fireflies danced through the mist wafting off the still waters that held the sky in their depths. Finding the ring that was his promise, her thoughts trailed to the elusive wedding still owed, the vows to be spoken.

The dreams she had dreamt of it were magical, so many visions to tease and taunt her, so many places out in the wilderness that spoke to her heart. Glacial lakes so blue, mountain peaks so high, forest so deep she could imagine herself alone in all the world had she not been at his side. Thoughts of the wedding at their newfound home, vows spoken at the edge of the dock with a cathedral of ice crafted by an old flame, the bed they now shared to bear the consummation of their exchanged promises.

So lost to her thoughts Marie found herself drawn back as a bird alight was dangled before her eyes in offer, taking it to marvel at. Hearing the snap of his knife drawn closed, his fingers trailed through her hair after a few shavings and just the pleasure of the intimate touch.

"You should make a mobile..." Marie whispered as she held the wooden bird off against the distant boughs of trees.

"Ya mean like a wind chime?" Logan asked, his fingers trailing through her hair as his thumb found her hear to tenderly stroke.

"No, well, sorta. More like...for dangling over a crib." Marie said, a smile on her lips and a blush on her cheek.

Two fingers walking down her brow to the bride of her nose were his ascent of the idea that needn't anything more said on it, a light tap to the tip coming in that endearing little habit of his that had been born out of nights like the one they enjoyed. The nagging fear wormed its way in, the dread of losing all the little touches that said more than words could ever express, held at bay by the morning ritual one droplet of blood at a time.

"What's say we go for a walk in the mornin', go see what we can't find out in the woods." Logan offered in a low husky breath, his hands finding her hair again.

"Lets find a dolphin." Marie whispered, her thumb finding her ring to banish her dark thoughts.

"Gotta be one out there somewhere." Logan replied, twirling her hair over the finger that would one day bear a ring.

Staring off into the dark woods that hung against the horizon as a shadow between the night skies, the heavens above and the lakes reflection below, she let her thoughts be guided away from the dreads and worries she couldn't change to the dreams and wishes she could strive to make real. A walk through the woods at morning hand in hand on a hunt for dolphins would fill her dreams, the morrow an oath for another chance at everything they wanted out of life, friendship, family and a home full of love.

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"You gotta be shitting me."

Pete turned to his wife, the love of his life and the mother of his children yet to be born, a kiss and a whisper of just how deep that love ran to help firm her resolve and lend his strength. The limo had arrived in the morning to take them to the Manhattan branch and world headquarters of the Hellfire Group, an appointment with the renowned Emma Frost to be had before lunch could roll around. Staring up at the tower of glass and concrete, Jubilee swallowed her fears and took her loves hand in her own to set her resolve in stone.

"You don't have to do this." Pete offered once again.

"I think I, I think we do." Jubilee said with a look to her wedding band and engagement ring that dangled about her neck.

That it could be a ploy or worse wasn't far from her mind, of all that had offered to accompany them she had the most trouble with her nearest Mother the most, Ororo, right along with Kitty and Marie alike. Betsy was tempting but to leave the school without her was a sin she just couldn't commit, looking back up to her beau, she saw her worries reflected in his eyes and added with all his own. Throwing her arms about his neck and drawing herself on up, she kissed him as she had their first time, right until a breath became more important than their need for closeness.

"Ya think if I deck her, that security is gonna throw a hissy fit?" Jubilee asked with a broken laugh.

"They would be hard pressed to lay a hand upon you, my love, worst yet our children." Pete vowed, a glint of steel held in his eyes.

"I am so telling them this story someday when they're old enough not ta be a couple of smart alecks." Jubilee laughed in earnest, a hop and a kiss to his cheek following.

At his smirk and the mischief in his eyes she swatted him playfully knowing his meaning, their nights spent wondering just which bad habits they would have to keep in check list their little ones picked up on them. Finding their resolve at last, they walked off to the entrance where a doorman awaited and allowed them in with a courteous bow and a smile.

"Oh my god if Betsy didn't dress me I'd feel like such a dork." Jubilee whispered after a glance at the many people milling about the lobby.

"You look lovely in anything." Pete promised.

"Don't think I didn't see you checking me out mister." Jubilee teased, wrapping her arms about his frame and taking protection in his arms.

"I see beauty in many things my Jubilation, but I will admit you look especially lovely in this dress." Pete confessed.

"Daddy thinks I'm hot, Daddy thinks I'm hot." Jubilee said in a sing song voice, a hand falling over her belly.

A glance to her love had her see the tears that came as they had since the news, the title so perfect for the gentlest man she had ever known, the man who was father to her children and her ever endearing husband. Having now her own word to say often in all the multitude of ways it could be said, from Father to Pater to Pappy and Daddy, it was a thing that would never grow old to her as she breathed in to take some comfort.

An elevator ride brought them to the floor they'd been instructed, but on exiting to expect halls and offices, they found one another in what could only be the most expansive office they had ever set foot in. Upon the walls hung art, much of which had their cheeks coloured red by the highly erotic subject, from paintings to photographs and a few sculptures far too lifelike to bear meet in the unseeing eyes. Off at the windows that ate away stories of the building a view of New York City like they had rarely seen was offered, an apartment of sorts built up at them with the bed hidden behind a weave of tapestries.

"I'm so glad you could make it."

The voice was crisp and cold but in the way a winters day was still welcome as the sun stood aloft in the cloudless blue that left the fallen snow dazzling and blinding. Having made their way through the hedonistic gallery, husband and wife looked on to what must be the office of their host, Emma Frost sitting at a desk with a pair of aides standing silently at her back.

"Blackmail much?" Jubilee snapped, closing on the desk with an angry pace.

A smile as brittle as glass showed the first crack as Emma looked on the young woman with her lover drawing near. At the first moue of disapproval the aides showed a hand was raised to quiet them, the pair taking on expressionless watch as they waited for word from their mistress.

"I assure you, that while we surely have bridges to mend, I just found something surprising in a little background checking. Kismet might well be at play, I simply thought you might wish to know the reason why your parents had to miss your wedding day." Emma said, a fixed smile in place that graced the boardrooms and back rooms that she plied her trade.

In the cavernous quiet of the suite the sudden slap echoed, the aides jerking forward once more in utter indignation until a hand was raised once more to grasp at their leash. Palming her cheek and feeling the stinging heat, Emma looked on to the woman who bled her feelings so strong she had to fight to keep their tide at bay, angry tears spilling from her eyes as she glared with clenched teeth.

"You...have no right...to talk...about...!" Jubilee sputtered, choking on the awakened pain.

At the sight of Pete wrapping up his wife and drawing her away from the confrontation, Emma felt another crack in her facade shatter through her. In them she saw her only wish that all her wealth and power could never buy, the love of her parents, their acceptance of what she was. Ordering off her aides with an unspoken word, she waited until the elevator began its delve down through the building before relaxing her composure.

"You're right, I don't. I came here to offer you a name and a story, but I think that just might be for another time. I actually have something for you thought, a phone call had it discovered. The moment I heard I had it flown out." Emma said far warmer than before, excusing herself from her desk to walk off to a nearby table.

"What is this?" Pete was the first to ask as he walked along with his wife.

"A safety deposit box, registered to the owners of a bank that I acquired, the Lee's." Emma said, running a finger along the chill steel.

Shock and surprise was writ in Jubilee's eyes as she looked from Emma to the strongbox, her hand finding Pete's to clench tight as she struggled against the twist of everything that tugged at her. Grief at the reminder, wonder at the contents, a wary distrust of the woman bearing gifts so soon after being found to have kidnapped a child. Ignored completely, she turned as Emma walked off in a click of heels over the marble tiles.

"I haven't opened it if that's what your thinking, and you don't have to do so here. Take it, it's yours. If you ever need to know the reasons why, and just whom you have to blame, I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding me. Ta." Emma said without a glance back, the elevator doors closing about her.

Whatever strength had helped her find her way to the confrontation that had so pained her, it fled as she fell to her knees to stare dumbly at the veritable Pandora's box. Joined on the cool tiles and taken into his lap, she wiped away her angry tears and fought against the new ones that blurred her sight.

"We don't have to do this here." Pete whispered, stroking her sides and kissing her neck.

Long minutes stretched on as they held another, the shadows stretching on through the concrete canyon viewed beyond the towering glass windows. Helped to her feet and taking up the box with trembling hands, Jubilee let herself be shown off to the elevator and out to the street below. The limo sat waiting but was ignored, a few false starts bringing a yellow cab to the curb.

Rejoining its flock, a few words to the driver had them on their way to a reunion of friends and family just when they needed them the most, the penthouse of Betsy offered as their home away from home when in Manhattan.

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	13. Chapter 13

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

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"Ya sure ya don't wanna go?"

Laying in his arms out on the lawn watching Kitty pile in the Thunderbird with Theresa and Rahne alike, Marie shook her head and gave a wave to her friends that had been called in for a bit of emotional support and a friendly butt kicking if needed. Ororo, affectionately called Mommy Roro even by many of the younger students now, was already at the wheel of her newfound daughter's car.

"No, someone's gotta stick around and keep an eye on the kids." Marie answered.

"Liar." Logan whispered, nuzzling her ear and giving it a playful bite.

"Bite me." Marie huffed, her love happily obliging as he nipped and nuzzled his way down her neck.

"Last chance." Logan growled, his hands roaming down her sides with thumbs finding her bare flesh beneath her shirt.

Giggling and gasping as his rough fingers traced her belly and tickled her, she was more than content to stay behind this time. Feeling another tickling that joined the assault she suffered, she found her phone and had a look to another of the texts piling up. Reading the message which simply read 'I want one', a picture followed that showed Jubilee hidden under bubbles in a grand bath with just her nose and eyes peaking above the suds. Wondering how she was taking the selfie, a zoom to one corner of the picture had her squeal and sputter a burst of embarrassed laughter.

"Don't tell me that's Petey's arse." Logan grumbled as he leaned in for a look over her shoulder.

"If it's not the guy is dead meat once I show him this." Marie laughed, wiping a tear from her eye as she read through some of the rest.

"I thought they were all...ya know..." Logan grunted, lolling his head back to the grass and staring up into the evening sky.

"Bubble baths are perfectly comforting for what they've been through, especially if it's as big as she says it is." Marie huffed, another picture of their bathroom antics showing Jubilee curled up against Pete, his arm caught in the frame.

"Give me a hot shower any day, stewin' in yer own stink don't sound too relaxin' to me." Logan snorted, his fingers lazily trailing designs against her belly.

Tossing her phone aside after a fond farewell, telling her friend that the calvary was on their way, Illyana and the elder Rasputin's would be arriving in their own way soon enough too as she knew. Twisting to trap her love between her weight and the grass beneath them, a blush came as she caught him peeking down her shirt with an arched eyebrow. Kissing him once on the lips and trailing down his jaw to bite at his earlobe, she growled herself feeling his thumbs off finding a place to rest below her jeans at the swell of her hips.

"Who's giving the kids a run for their money now." Marie teased, the feel of his arms having her melt against him content and comforted.

"Better us than them, don't need the kids gettin' any ideas from Petey and our grease monkey mommy to be." Logan said with a laugh.

Laying her head against his chest and listening to the beating of his breast, fingers found her hair and trailed through them in a soothing petting. Watching the car drive off with waves thrown their way, she returned them and let her worries surface as the smile faded from her lips.

"Ya think it was all some sort o' distraction?" Marie asked, her eyes off to the door as it opened with kids spilling out.

"Could might well be, or could be that Frosty bitch likes ta just twist the blade deeper. Bets is keepin' an eye out and," Logan started, pausing for a sniff, "Gumbo is up on the roof fer a smoke. Sound o' things, Drake's with the kids gettin' his arse handed to him."

The raucous laughter from the den attested to that, his title as gaming champion up for grabs. That there were a new class of Juniors training with Sean and Kurt at the moment helped too, even if she felt a conflicted twist in her heart that another generation had stepped up to keep their peers safe just as she and hers had once before.

"Hun?" Marie asked, her thoughts dwelling darkly on the Juniors.

"Yeah babe?" Logan's reply came, his steely grey eyes opening at the shift in her scent.

"Ya don't got any kinda Kung Fu hidden away up in that noggin' o' yers do ya?" Marie questioned.

Ever since her return to her school, her hobby in kick boxing and just all the self defence she had been taken had fallen to the wayside, but feeling the threat to the school once more she wouldn't let herself become helpless. Staring into his eyes as they grew distant and thoughtful, a smirk split his lips with a grin that had him meet her gaze.

"Got an inklin' o' somethin' up in there if'in yer game ta try and help the ol' Canucklehead remember." Logan said.

"How?" Marie asked perplexed.

"Sort o' like tryin' ta remember a song, ya just hum a few bars, course in this case ya just might have ta take me to task on the mats." Logan replied, his hands slipping into the back pockets of her jeans as she rose to staddle him.

"Ya mean ya want me ta kick yer ass?" Marie asked, arching an eye brow to him.

"Welcome ta try babe, knock the cobwebs loose and see what falls on out." Logan said with a smug smirk.

Her dark mood forgotten as her heart beat in anticipation, suddenly her choice to say behind was easier to swallow as she looked on her love and his hungry eyes. Whatever would come from their time down in the gym, she'd be sweaty and sore by the end of it and surely have driven him just a bit wild too.

"Okay, but ya owe me a massage when we're done." Marie stipulated.

"Like ya had to ask." Logan chuckled, wrapping her on up in his arms as he brought them up from the lawn.

"A soothing massage ya idjit!" Marie squawked as she was carried off.

"Soothin', sensual, s'all semantics." Logan argued as he ambled off.

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Sitting curled up on Pete's lap with his arms wrapped about her, Jubilee stared at the box that sat upon the glass coffee table between the chesterfields and her own love seat. Family and friends were with her, Pappa Nikolai and Mamma Alexandra right along with Illyana sitting with Mommy Roro. Kitty, Theresa and Rahne were all in the kitchen making tea and coffee for everyone, right along with fresh cocoa as a treat.

"It's big." Jubilee said filling the quiet.

"It is." Pete noted.

"It's locked." Jubilee added.

"It won't be for long." Pete promised.

"I'm scared." Jubilee whimpered, her eyes watering with tears not far off.

"Why?" Illyana asked full of innocent naivety.

"What if it's empty...?" Jubilee sputtered, the tears falling.

Shifting her in his arms and taking on his namesake, the rip of stitches as clothes not meant for the Colossus had most looking on him with sympathy. With his love, wife, and the mother of his children upon his lap he reached out to take the safety deposit box in hand and waited. Looking at it and up to him, torn in utter indecision, she realized just what it was he was waiting for. Reaching out with her own trembling hands, Jubilee placed them atop his and gave a stubborn nod, her lips twisted into a grimace as she accepted whatever lay within.

In a crunch of broken steel and a shattered lock the lid came free, cast off and set down beside the box. Steel skin faded as he urged her forward still in his lap while drawing it near, Jubilee peeking in and stifling a gasp at what she saw. Envelopes mostly littered the box, some clearly documents while many were just as the one she took first to stare at in wonder, film negatives. Losing all strength in her hands, Pete caught the falling envelope and with a whispered word asking permission found it given and pulled one free.

Holding it to the light, they looked through it and the sobs came as his wife couldn't believe what she saw, her parents standing with her at the edge of the Pacific itself as a memory nearly forgotten stirred. The ache in her chest was a pain she felt she couldn't endure, never thinking ever to have any reminder of happier days layed under the lonely misery of her parents murder, her life begun again in earnest once she had been found and brought to Xavier's.

Through her tears she saw her family twisted in their own pain at seeing one of their own hurt so, forcing a smile and reverently setting the negatives down. Taking a breath and staring to the ceiling as she fought for composure, she squirmed free of her love and gathered up more of those priceless slips of film. Passing them about, she shared the past she never thought to have back.

"You were so cute!" Theresa cried, offering up a vision of her friend dressed as a princess for Halloween.

"Still am." Jubilee managed to say with a laugh, Pete adding his own "Still is."

"Jubilation." Ororo said with uncharacteristic eagerness.

Looking to the especially think envelope, whatever composure she had found failed her as she looked on a sight she had never seen before, the wedding of her own parents. Caught before she could fall by her husband, the negatives were passed off for her to look at with him, whispering to another and sharing kisses.

"Daughter." Nikolai called after a time, his Alexandra crying beside him and holding a hand to her smiling lips.

"Oh my god..." Jubilee breathed full of wonder, pictures of her birth captured onwards to her forgotten life as a babe and toddler.

Over coffee, tea and cocoa she told the stories she could remember as she found those touchstones to things she hadn't recalled in years, the forgotten moments that came back in force. Setting the negatives away for safe keeping until they could be made into albums, the rest of the box was explored with far more urgency. Digging through documents and folders and passing them all off to Kitty and Ororo, her fingers found something she hadn't expected to find in the unmistakable feel of wrapping paper.

"It's for...me." Jubilee whispered, an envelope upon it like any birthday gift or Christmas present.

"Open it!" Illyana urged.

With unusual decorum from her ususal tact when it came to gifts, the card was carefully pried free and peeled open from its envelope. Again the past struck her as if with a punch to her stomach, the card looking dated to the era from when it was first picked up but clearly wishing her a then unseen and now belated eighteenth birthday. Opening it at last, she blinked away the tears to read the hand written message below the silly birthday wishes.

"We found him, just like we promised. But you already made a new friend, so we all agreed that he'd wait for you to get a little older when you had room for more friends. Love mom, dad, and Mister Floppers." Jubilee whispered.

Struggling to breath she peeled away the wrapping paper with delicate care, revealing a plain white cardboard box. Opening it, a bed of velvet complete with a pillow held a stuffed bunny that had been her favourite toy as a child, her confidant and best friend until the day he had been lost on a trip to the mall. After two weeks of crying her daddy had introduced her to Chuckles, a stuffed chipmunk bought on a visit to the zoo. Snatching up the bunny and clutching it to her chest, she felt herself wrapped up in the hug she needed just then. At a few whispered words and her own nod of consent she was taken up easily and carried off to the bedroom, overwhelmed by the treasures the box held.

"I guess the rest of this can wait to morning." Kitty said in the silence that had followed.

Agreement came as everything was carefully set back inside just as it had come out, one last little gift found in the very bottom left atop it all, a small box with a silk bow for 'Our Jubilation'.

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End file.
